


A Robin Leaves the Nest

by TheImaginitiveBabbler



Series: A Flying Robin [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Robin, Bat Family, Batfam in Young Justice, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dad!Bruce, Epidode: s01e14 Revelation, Episode: s01e06 Infiltrator, Episode: s01e08 Downtime, Episode: s01e12 Homefront, Episode: s01e16 Failsafe, F/M, Gen, Kid Cassandra Cain, Kid Tim Drake, Mentions of Flashpoint, No one likes Superman right now, Other, S01E01 Fireworks, S01E05 Schooled, Teen Dick Grayson, The Team - Freeform, Uncle Clark is Mean, Wayne Gala, YJ comics compliant, Young Justice compliant, batkids, daddy bats, daddy!Bats, kid jason todd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-05-06 05:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 49,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14635065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheImaginitiveBabbler/pseuds/TheImaginitiveBabbler
Summary: Robin was the original sidekick. Batman's only sidekick as far as most of the world knows. The other sidekicks, or rather partners and he have started a team. But Robin has been working with his own siblings and best friend in Gotham for years.Now he has to learn how to work outside that dynamic and his family has to learn to work without Robin there all the time. How's Bruce going to handle all his kids growing up and let alone all the drama that comes with his oldest being on a team?Batfam's view of YJ season 1





	1. Teens and Tantrums

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**July 4 th/5th **

**Jason is 10**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 7**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

Debris still smoked around them and the dust made it hard to breath. Not to mention the bruised ribs he probably had. But Robin wouldn’t sit down and cry. Not when he and his friends had just defied the League’s and Batman’s orders and freed a very potentially dangerous Superman clone.

Since Batman had told him last month on patrol what would happen today Robin had been more excited and hyperactive than usual. The first step to being a leaguer, he had been told. Something to prove to the public that they were the next generation of heroes, who the league trusted to fight alongside them. And though Robin hadn’t been as betrayed as Kaldur and Wally by the revelation of the watchtower (which Robin himself had helped create.) But like his friends Roy’s words had struck him. When Batman had left them without letting them help the league, Robin couldn’t help but fell betrayed.

Now as his friends stood up around him Robin remembered the small moment this afternoon Batman had let Bruce’s pride shine through and smiled down at him. But the broken promise of respect was still there. Robin could beat more than half the league but because he was a kid he wasn’t allowed to help him. Not anymore. He looked at Batman and unleashed one of his most powerful weapons. The pleading and disappointed face. “Batman, we’re ready to use what you taught us or why teach us at all?”

He smirked when he saw Batman’s angry scowl because a contemplative frown. Then Superboy’s words made it worse, or possibly better. The unknown teenager scared the league especially with the prospect he could make the teens leave with him like Roy just had. “Why let them tell us what to do? It’s simple. Get on board or get out of the way.”

There was a heavy moment of silence. Robin looked at Batman pleading again. The white masked lenses widened. Batman huffed. “Give me three days.”

Grins grew on the face of all the boys. Except Superboy only allowed a smirk. Wally turned noticing. “Hey, Supey! Ever had a sleep over?”

 

The leaguers had mostly left and soon Flash, Wally and Superboy followed Kaldur and Aquaman to the zeta tubes. Batman looked at Robin, still standing in the midst of the crater at Cadmus. “We’re going home. Then Alfred is going to check you over and you’re going to bed. No talking to any of your siblings if they’re awake. And no phone priveleges to talk to Barbara.”

Robin pouted. “Fine, how far are the zetas? I think I bruised my ribs.”

Batman sighed and called over John Stewart who was cleaning up the rest of the debris with a few other Leaguers who were still there. When they were home Alfred didn’t ask any questions and Bruce’s warning glance sent Tim and Jason’s peering glances back behind their doors. Dick was bandaged and put to bed by Alfred as Bruce stayed in the cave.

“May I ask what happened?” Alfred laid some food in front of Bruce who now was sitting going through the files from Cadmus in just his sweatpants.

“Speedy quit and let the other two teens know about the watchtower in the process. Then we were summoned for a mission leaving the kids behind. They decided to prove themselves by investigating a lab called Cadmus and there they found a clone of Superman.”

“A clone?” Alfred repeated sitting down.

“A teenage one. At least biologically. These are the files Dick managed to get but in their escape they destroyed the facility the lead scientist turned into something monster-like and the boys almost died.”

Alfred’s eyes widened. “Master Dick was fine except for some bruises and injured ribs. He’ll be fine soon enough. The others I’m sure were even better off. What did the rest of the League think of all this?”

“Upset. Several lives were endangered. Property was destroyed and all because they went against our orders. And of course we were worried for the kids. Almost the whole League came when they heard Robin was missing along with Aqualad and Kid Flash. I had to keep Barry from calling Iris several times. Clark though…. He left the kid with us. He’s staying with Kid Flash for now.”

Alfred was shocked. He raised an eyebrow. “He didn’t say anything to the boy? Didn’t Master Clark want children? He’s made that known a few times especially since the boys and Cassandra started to live here.”

Bruce sighed. Clark wanted kids, but with Lois who Bruce knew he was thinking of marrying soon. But that would also be nearly impossible with his kryptonian biology. Conner being his only chance might have scared Clark as much as any other reason that Bruce was listing to Alfred. “We’re not sure if Superboy is a danger yet. He was made to be a weapon. There might be protocols in his brain even he’s not aware of. Clark’s scared that somebody got to his DNA that easily.”

“So what will happen to him?” Alfred asked. “I could…”

“I think I have enough kids Alfred,” Bruce said sternly. They were starting to run out of permanent rooms in the manner already. “Superboy will stay where he is for now. The boys told us they’ll keep going on missions. They think they’re ready. They can’t join the League but I told them I’d have an answer for them in three days. Maybe then we’ll have figured out Superboy’s situation.”

“And I expect until then Master Dick is under punishment?”

“No patrol, no going out. I’ll give him back his phone in a day or two. Mostly he’ll be receiving the silent treatment. I think that’ll be the worst thing for him.”

“Yet you won’t be able to keep the other children from demanding the whole story of last night. He’ll be the center of attention then.”

“Only then,” Bruce pointed out. “No patrol for Robin or going out. And I’m sure you grounded him from the trapeze for the next few days as well.”

Alfred nodded and Bruce got up wishing him goodnight before checking on Tim, Jason, and Cass to make sure they were asleep and climbed into bed himself with his thoughts on his oldest son and the fear that he might run like Roy prompting the others to all follow.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

“You found a what?” Jason demanded as the kids sat together around a plate of Alfred’s cookies the next afternoon a little after Dick had woken up. Bruce had refused to answer any of their questions and Tim had been unable to access any files. No one was answering Jason when he reached out and Barbara was on a trip with her father at the moment unable to even help them hack in. This was their first chance to hear about any of it.

“A clone of Superman,” Tim repeated in awe. “That’s… What kind of science does that take? Human cloning hasn’t been proven possible yet.”

“Now it has,” Dick told them leaving no room for argument. “So we broke him out, or he helped us break out before they tried to clone us. Then we got out of Cadmus.”

“Good thing there were no clones,” Jason groaned. “Could you imagine more Dickheads in the batcave?”

“I wouldn’t like too,” Alfred said pulling more cookies out of the oven. “I have enough trouble cleaning up after one and all his siblings.”

Dick ignored that as Cass pointed to his ribs questioningly. Dick usually understood her best though the others were getting there fast, especially now that she knew some sign language. He winced. “Yeah, so we got out. Thanks to Supey or to my mad hacking skills.”

Tim laughed and Barbara who was on a video call from Jason’s tablet snorted. Dick sent her a playful glance as he ruffled Tim’s hair tickling him a bit. She ignored it as Dick continued.

“Then Dr. Desmond, the scientist in charge drank a formula which turned him into a giant beast. We’re calling him Blockbuster that’s the name of the formula according to the files,” he rambled. “Together we collapsed the building on him with Superboy’s strength, Aqualad’s water bearers, my explosives and Wally’s most annoying distractions.”

“ _Dead?”_ Cass signed with eyes wide. She hated death after seeing and being forced to kill until six months ago. All of her life.

“No,” Dick soothed. “The League came then and took him away.”

“And that’s when Golden Boy got grounded,” Jason declared standing up with a grin. “Great story.”

Dick pulled him back down. “Not what happened. The League told us we wouldn’t be doing anything like that again so we told them to get on board or get out of our way.”

Jason fell back cackling with laughter. Barbara was looking at him amused and exasperated all at once. Cassandra looked somewhere in between following Babs and Tim’s bright eyes which were looking at Dick in awe. He bit his lip. “What does that mean>”

“The League lets us do actual missions.” Dick’s eyes were shining with defiant hope. “Dad can be as mad as he wants as long as he keeps to the deal and thinks about it fairly. Maybe with some missions Uncle Clark will actually look and talk to Superboy!”

“Uncle Clark’s not talking to Superboy? He’s his kid!” Jason’s face grew dark as he fumed. He looked at Dick snarling. ‘You have to talk to your kid.”

Dick nodded looking at Bruce’s office hoping for a talk or something from Bruce as Tim piped up. “So we won’t talk to Uncle Clark! Right Cass?”

Cass nodded smirking. She like all the kids loved Clark and the other leaguers having adopted them as her family as well. But Tim was right. She signed to Dick. _“Uncle Clark. Mean.”_

Jason’s grin grew wide and evil. “I’ll tell Alfred and Dad. Uncle Clark is black listed. No one is going to talk to him for anything but League business.”

“He won’t be allowed here either,” Dick nodded sternly turning quickly to Bruce’s study and sighing. His eyes furrowed as he frowned. “He won’t be happy. No one likes being ignored.”

“Golden boy’s not Dad’s favorite anymore, is he? Guess he got punished for once instead of me. And grounded too. How does that feel Dickie?”

Alfred looked down at him with a frown. “Apologize Master Jason or you shall be punished too. Master Bruce has no favorites among you children and no one shall even think of saying so. Miss Cassandra, it’s time for lessons. Master Tim why don’t you help her set up and choose a book?”

Both of them nodded getting up. From the tablet Bab’s voice wished her good luck reminding her to go slow before telling them she had to go because her dad was coming back. She told Dick she’d hear what happened when she got back. Jason grabbed his tablet closing it as Tim dragged Cass out by the hand to the library. Dick knew she would be putting on headphones and listening to a book while reading it. The exercise was one they were using to teach her language suggested by Barbara’s research. It seemed to be helping along with the flash cards.

Alfred watched them go nodding pleased before turning to the older two boys. “Master Jason, you will come with me to the kitchen. We’ll discuss the last book you read while you help me.”

Jason perked up following Alfred out of the dining room. His and Alfred’s book club was something special for only him. Nothing Dick had ever done before him or Tim had succeeded at first. Dicked watched him leaved and sighed as he was left alone.


	2. Waiting and Watching

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: A few lines from YJ comic. Italicized

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**July 7th**

**Jason is 10**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 7**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

 

It had been two and a half days. Dick was sitting at the table in the manor when Alfred came in with lunch. The others had been sent off for the day. Cass was with Barbara who had just returned, working on her speech cards. Tim had gone to the zoo with his friend Harper and her brother Cullen both scholarship kids at school. Dick had no actual idea were Jason was.

He’d only seen Bruce who was down at the Batcave, still not talking to him. Dick was getting sick of it. Bruce had promised three days. He turned to Alfred as he set lunch in front of him ** _. “When’s he going to decide? Bruce_ _has been down in the bat cave forever. I can’t tell if he’s working on sanctioning the team, or squashing it.”_**

**_“I believe Master Dick that he asked for three days…”_ **

Dick scoffed. **“ _Demanded is more like it. And it’s been two and a half!”_**

**_“When Master Bruce says three… He means three.”_ **

Dick groaned hitting his forehead on the table. Alfred raised an eyebrow at him looking at the food. Dick sighed. “Fine, but he at least needs to find Superboy a home. Wally said that he slept in a closet! Because it felt more like his pod! Wally, Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris can’t handle that.”

“Master Dick, the West-Allen family volunteered. And I know Master Bruce is working on it too. He’s already worked on getting Superboy some of his own stuff.”

“Yeah,” Dick sighed. “Wally told me about the Bat credit card. Seems Bruce can pay more attention to my friends than to me.”

“That isn’t true Master Dick,” Alfred said. “Master Bruce is just doing what you asked. That’s paying attention, isn’t it? Now he still has half a day. He will tell you tonight. So now eat or I won’t even allow you to hear of it.”

Dick groaned again stuffing a spoonful off food in his mouth. A little less than twelve hours. That’s all he had to wait. Just twelve hours. He could do that. Just six hours.

Meanwhile down in the Batcave Bruce was still going through the Cadmus information. It was a little past one and Alfred should be bringing down his lunch soon. He might take a break and go pick up Cass from the Gordon’s to take her out. He didn’t get to spend a lot of one on one time with his adoptive daughter. Just as he got up to do just that his Comm rang.

_“Batman,”_ Superman said. “ _We’re on our way to the Central City Mall. Two super-strength teenagers conducting a robbery and wrecking it. The person on monitor duty couldn’t give us enough information.”_

Bruce looked at the computer and pulled up footage from security cameras in Central City’s mall. He looked at the two teens, a boy and a girl the latter of which threw a mall officer over the balcony right before he was caught before a boy with mouth covered leaping through the air. Another boy zoomed with lightning trialing behind him. Then the fight commenced as Bruce watched. _“Who’s with you Clark? I’m guessing Flash, this is in Central City, right?”_

_“Yeah,”_ Flash said through the comm. _“I’m here.”_

_“Well then you might want to make sure your nephew and his friend have this handled. They’ve just crashed through the wall_ ,” Bruce said before he heard Flash curse and zoom off. _“You can tell them I’ve made a decision.”_

Seconds later the footage showed the Terror Twins jumping out after the boys and then looking up in surprise behind them. Superboy stood up with Wally next to him. Bruce used Barry’s comm to get the conversation.

**_“Uh, wow… Guess we scared ‘em off,_ ” **Wally was saying.

**_“Should we go after them?”_** Superboy asked.

**_“No, you shouldn’t. And no you didn’t,”_** Flash said harshly as the boys turned. Superman took one look at his clone and flew off. Bruce growled when he saw the look in the teens eyes as Clark flew away. They’d be having a talk soon. Meanwhile Flash was scolding his nephew.

**_“Three days, you couldn’t stay out of trouble for three days.”_ **

**_“Hey, that’s not…”_ **

Flash stopped Wally. “I’m calling Iris. You’ll go home and stay there. Both of you will be in bed early tonight. Right after dinner. First thing in the morning you’ll get your answer. Batman’s made his decision.”

Bruce shut off the footage, making to erase any trace of it and got up. He ignored Dick’s glance as he passed the boy when he told Alfred he was getting Cass for lunch. And when they returned Bruce didn’t say anything except telling Alfred he’d be gone for a bit and going down to the cave. Dick was left staring until Cass pulled at his hand and pointed to a book with a smile signing and asking for him to perform her voices. Dick sighed looking at the clock. Ten or so more hours.

At the watchtower the board of League members sat with Batman at the front. He looked around them at the faces of his teammates. Superman, Wonder Woman, the Hawks, Martian Manhunter, Hal Jordan, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Aquaman, Flash and Red Tornado all sitting around the table. The rest of the members, the ones who usually attended these meetings, like Captain Marvel, Captain Adam or Zatara were busy.

“I’ve made my decision,” Batman announced. “Tomorrow morning we’ll bring the boys to Happy Harbor. That is where they will base their team.”

“The cave?” Hal asked. “It was infiltrated ages ago!”

“Which is why no one will suspect us using it now,” Batman pointed out. “I’ll need the night to get the cave running and the help of some volunteers.”

“Wait,” Superman asked. “Just like that… we’re giving them a team?”

“I’m sure you all heard what happened in Central City today,” Flash said. “You should realize this Superman but Batman is right. These kids will be a team with or without us. I’d just rather it was with us so we could protect them.”

Batman nodded. “I’ll be assigning their missions. Black Canary, you have experience training children. I know you to be the best out of the League for this job, at least from what Robin and the others have told me.”

Black Canary blushed at the praise. “Your kids are just good at training. I’m not sure how well it will go with the rest of this team. They all have different strengths and powers unlike your kids who have none at all. It’ll be harder to teach.”

“You will still be doing it, yes?” Martian Manhunter asked.

Black Canary nodded.

Aquaman raised an eyebrow. “Are you rethinking now J’onn?”

The Martian sighed. “I believe she needs this. She stowed away with me to work on earth as a hero. I can take care of her power training, but this is the way for her to receive the experience. So if you shall allow it I would like M’Gann to join the team. Are the rooms at the cave still open?”

“They will be,” Batman replied. “Superboy needs a place to live. M’gann is welcome to live there too. Which means we’ll also need a den mother to live with them and supervise the kids. They can’t live alone. Any volunteers?”

The room went quiet. Then Red Tornado raised a mechanic hand. “I would like to try it. I have no life outside of being a hero unlike most of those here. I need no sleep or food. It would be efficient to have me at the cave.”

“Good,” Superman said.

“This team will do covert ops the League can’t do,” Batman said. “They’ll be private, unseen and unknown giving us an advantage. Training them to work together now will do more for them too. These kids are the next generation of our heroes. I’ll see those with partners at the cave at 8:00 ET time tomorrow.”

The Leaguers all got up and left. Green Arrow was still growling to Black Canary about Roy and the team happening without him as they were heading to the Zeta tube. Aquaman was still in deep conversation with Martian Manhunter. Superman was about to fly away when Batman grabbed his arm. “Sit.”

Wonder Woman walked over too. She sat down slamming her fists on the table. “I cannot allow this team Batman. They are still children. None of them should be having a place in this fight for a long time. I have not argued how you parent your own children, indeed, Dick has proved himself to be fine even with you as a father and I’m sure the others will too. But the rest of these are not yours and none of them should be doing this.”

“Diana they’ll be the League one day. They’re teenagers already. If he hadn’t quit and showed a little more patience we might’ve been offering Roy a spot here soon enough,” Superman said.

“You,” Diana spat. “Do not get to speak. You spread all your love on Bruce’s kids, on the others, on any child you can help or see on the street. But right now there is a boy without a home who shares your DNA.”

“He’s not my son,” Superman said stubbornly.

“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t need you,” Batman said. “But I won’t be backing down on this team. The kids will be doing it anyway, Robin needs to learn to work with others besides his family if he wants to be part of the League one day. This is an opportunity for all of them and for us.

He sighed looking at two of his closest friends. “I’ve made the mistake of believing Robin is still a child. One who still needs me to be there to help him on his every step. He’s getting ready to live his life without me even if I’m not. I might be using this as a chance to hold onto him a little longer but at least I’m there for him to support him even when he doesn’t need me. I hope you can do that to Clark.”

“Bruce…” Superman huffed.

“Diana is right. These kids shouldn’t be fighting,” Batman continued. “But they will. I’m just trying to protect them a little longer but I have to realize they’re becoming adults too. I won’t make the same mistake that happened with Roy. Not with my son, or any of those kids.”

Diana opened her mouth and then closed it as Batman got up and went to the Zeta tube putting in a number that hadn’t been used in years as he went to Happy Harbor to meet the few leaguers who had volunteered to help.

Meanwhile Dick was waiting in the BatCave waiting out the time with training. He was helping Tim, teaching him some acrobatics, or critiquing them as he lightly sparred with Cass. It was just past 11 now. Alfred came downstairs and looked at Dick disapprovingly. “I have said you need a few days to heal up those ribs. Sparring will not help with that. And because there is no patrol tonight it is time for the little ones to head to bed. Master Jason is already upstairs doing the chores I’ve given him as punishment for fighting today. He’ll join you both soon. Now upstairs.”

Tim groaned and went upstairs. Cass gave Dick a hug signed good night and then followed with Alfred behind her. Dick collapsed in Bruce’s chair by the monitor and sighed. Within a few minutes he was asleep.

_____________________________

 

“Dick, Dick!”

Dick was shaken awake to see Bruce standing there in his batsuit with the cowl off. He scowled and met Bruce’s eyes. “So we’re talking now?”

“I told you three days. You had your punishment and we’ve both had time to think about what happened. I promised I’d give you an answer, so yes we’re talking now.”

Dick looked at his watch. A half hour past midnight. Around the time Cadmus had exploded and they’d been found by the League. He looked at Bruce and rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, I mean… not just for being a jerk just now… but also because of everything. I was just mad. Almost half my life I’ve been training to be a hero, to be part of the League. Then you won’t let me fight with you.”

“We made a mistake,” Bruce agreed. “None of you are ready to be part of the League. Not just yet. You can barely work as a team together.”

“So it’s a no then?” Dick asked angrily.

“I didn’t say that. You just need to work at it. Tomorrow, Happy Harbor. You might not be part of our League, but you’ll get to have one of your own.”

“The cave?” Dick asked with wide eyes. “We’re using the cave. Brilliant! No one will think about us being there. And it was the League’s original headquarters, guess it makes sense it’ll be ours too.”

Bruce laughed. “I’m proud of you chum. Even if you broke rules and didn’t follow orders. You and your friends found something to fight for. And even if you aren’t part of the League yet, you will be one day.”

“I know, thanks.”

“There will be rules though. Especially for you. You were the first child hero, the best trained too and the one who knows most of the League’s secrets. We’ll have to be extra careful. We’ll talk about it in the morning on the way.”

Dick nodded. He got up and started up the stairs. Then he turned to Bruce. “We won’t let you down, I promise.”

Bruce smiled in response and as Dick headed up stairs he watched then looked at a picture of him and Robin, the first sighting of them both which was framed next to the monitors. “I never think you will.”


	3. The Best Team

The next day Dick dressed in regular civilian clothes and large sunglasses to protect his identity showed up at the cave. The others were there already in civilian identity talking. Their mentors were behind them all dressed in Uniform like Batman. Wally looked up at Robin and waved but when Batman turned on him stopped.

Robin went to join his friends already thinking about Batman’s rules. He couldn’t let them know his identity, that was expected. He couldn’t give away League secrets or missions that he knew about. He couldn’t let them know the fact he trained with the League or how close he was with them. Nor about how good he really was, Robin should be underestimated to use to his advantage. He couldn’t let them know about his siblings just yet either. Their hero appearances were all just myths. Robin was the only one who had been seen in broad daylight. But if that was what it took to be part of a team then he would do it. At least he had Wally who knew mostly everything.

Batman stood in front of them, with the rest of the mentors standing behind him. He turned to the boys who suddenly all stood straight looking at him, waiting. Batman looked at them. **_“This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League. We’re calling it into service again. Since you four are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you’ll do it on League terms.”_**

Robin heard Superboy growl but he knew that Batman was complimenting them and showing his faith on them. He smiled grinning wider as KF started to nudge him.

Batman continued. **_“Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary’s in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions.”_**

That’s where Robin had to challenge him. He knew his mentor was over protective. That he would try and keep Robin safe. “ ** _Real Missions?”_**

**_“Yes, but covert._** ” Batman was smirking and Robin could tell he was promising not to be over protective by the way his eyes met Robin’s own. Robin grinned wider.

**_“The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There’s a reason we have these big targets on our chests,_** ” Flash said. Wally rolled his eyes at his Uncle’s cheesy dad jokes as Dick chuckled. Uncle Barry never changed and though he was protective as Wally he wasn’t as big a freak about it as Bruce.

**_“But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly,”_** Aquaman said.

**_“The five of you will be that team,”_** Batman continued.

**_“Cool!”_** Robin cheered. Missions outside of Gotham were something he wasn’t able to do. Even if covert with his siblings, Bruce and Babs were a familiar routine by now. Then he stopped. Bruce hadn’t said anything about that one part. **_“Wait, five?”_**

The Zeta beam whirred and the boys turned. Floating forward was a green girl, wearing a blue skirt and matching cape with a red x over her chest. She was standing with Martian manhunter and Robin immediately knew she was a martian too. He turned to Batman questioningly.

**_“This is the Martian Manhunter’s niece Miss Martian.”_ **

Robin nodded smiling at her. J’onn had told him he had a lot of nieces of nephews when Robin had once complained about too many kids in the batcave. That immediately left his mind when he had to roll his eyes at Wally zooming forward after Miss Martian waved hi.

**_“Liking this gig more every minute. Welcome aboard! Kid Flash. That’s Robin, Aqualad – it’s cool if you forget their names.”_ **

**_“I’m honored to be included,_** ” she said sweetly. Robin smiled as he came to introduce himself with Aqualad. He could already tell she was bubbly and liked to have fun. And he could already see the attraction forming between her and Superboy as she changed her shirt to match his own. Then Aqualad clapped him on the shoulder. “ ** _Today is the day.”_**

Robin grinned as Wally slung an arm around him. “We’ve got it dude! We have our team!”

“So when do we start?” Robin asked turning to Batman.

“We have nothing for you yet. Miss Martian and Superboy will be living here. The rest of you will be called back when it’s time though you have access to come here whenever you want.”

“Our own headquarters, our own team!” Kid Flash crowed. “This is amazing.”

“Save the cheering for later,” Flash advised him. “We’re helping Superboy move in. J’onn, do you need any help?”

“We shall be fine,” he said. He nodded to Batman and the martian girl waved goodbye as he ushered her back through the Zeta tube.

Wally grinned. “C’mon Supey. Let’s get you settled in.”

He ran through the Zeta with Flash right behind him and then Superboy sighed. He looked at Batman. “Thanks.”

Batman nodded.

Then Superboy paused and opened his mouth. “He’s not coming, is he?”

“No,” Batman said softly. “He’s not.”

Superboy nodded then stomped off into the Zeta beam. The rest watched him go. Aqualad looked at Batman. “Thank you for allowing this team. We will prove that we are worthy of it.”

“We have no doubt of that Kaldurahm,” Aquaman said gave Batman a glance. “Come, we have things to attend to in Atlantis.”

“I hope I will see you again soon Robin to have our first real mission as a team,” Aqualad said before leaving with Aquaman.

Robin looked at Batman who nodded at him. The Leaguers had flown off to finish making the adjustments to the mountain and they were left alone. Robin grinned and hugged him. “Thanks Dad.”

“You were ready for it,” Batman said. “What do you think?”

“About what? This whole thing is amazing. Did you know about J’onn’s niece?” Robin demanded.

“Yes,” Batman said. “He thought about taking her to the Hall of Justice. We decided only the public partners that have had experience should come. Your defenses were up?”

“You don’t trust her?” Robin asked. Then he double thought that. Batman didn’t have a reason too. He sighed. “Yeah, I always keep them up.”

“Good. Those things we talked about, they need to stay hidden.” He was walking to the zeta tube now. Robin bounced behind him nodding.

Then he looked at Batman. “Wait, I can tell the others, right? I don’t have to keep this hidden from them.”

Batman turned and grinned as the Zeta beam whirred and he disappeared. Then Robin ran after him rolling his eyes. Bruce just had to make everything dramatic. When he got to the other side Bruce was already in his suit ready for work. Dick pulled off his glasses and followed him upstairs. “So work now?”

“Lucius has been waiting,” Bruce agreed as they walked into the kitchen.

Jason had been teasing Tim who was reading a book. Cass was eating her food and looked up first. Alfred was washing the dishes from Dick and Bruce’s earlier breakfast and nodded at them. Jason dropped his fork and stopped mid-sentence talking to Tim. Tim smiled brightly. “Hi! We went to sleep and you still weren’t back. Did you give Dick his team? Is that where you were?”

Dick nodded ruffling Tim’s hair. “Yeah. I got a team Timmy. And a secret headquarters too.”

“Really?” Jason asked. “You guys were allowed in the watchtower? Isn’t that what Roy’s hissy fit was about?”

Cass shook her head at him. Then she turned to Dick gesturing for him to continue. Tim nodded. “Yeah, where is it?”

“Mt. Justice.”

“The League’s old headquarters?” Jason asked. “Wasn’t that discovered years ago by Joker?”

“Yeah, so they think the League won’t ever return,” Dick told him. “That’s where Superboy and Miss Martian will be living.”

Cass’s mouth opened and then she smiled. There was a girl on the team! Jason was looking at him open mouth as Tim’s eyebrows ruffled. “Who’s Miss Martian? She’s not in any of Dad’s files.”

“Because she’s new,” Dick grinned. “Martian Manhunter’s niece. You know he has tons of them. Martian families are huge. But she seemed pretty cool. First thing Wally did before even introducing himself was hit on her.”

“Why would Wally hit her?” asked Tim his eyebrow had started to furrow again and now his nose was wrinkling too. He liked Wally. He was good at science and played lots of games with them and watched movies and didn’t think Tim was too little to do stuff.

Cass scowled too. “ _M-E-A-N. Wally. No. Hit.”_

“Not like that stupid,” Jason mocked. “He thought she was pretty and started to flirt.”

Tim made an oh shape with his mouth though Cass still looked confused. Dick laughed. “It’s all right Cass. You don’t need to understand that.”

“Ever,” Bruce mumbled. Dick laughed harder as Alfred rolled his eyes. Bruce gave them both annoyed looks. Dick’s response was to stick out his tongue and Bruce sighed. “I have to go now.”

“Work?” Tim asked.

“A meeting with Lucius,” Bruce agreed giving Cass a kiss goodbye on her hair and ruffling Tim’s hair.

Jason’s eyes brightened and he smiled mischievously. “New toys?”

“Nothing like that champ,” Bruce told him. “At least not for you.”

“Buzzkill. Why have any of that stuff if we can’t use it?” huffed Jason crossing his arms. Bruce chuckled at Jason and his usual manner ruffling his hair too.

He turned to Dick and the others. “I’ll see you all later. Grounding is over for you Dick. Patrol tonight. And I will see if Lucius has any ‘toys’ Jay. But don’t keep your fingers crossed.”

“Bye Bruce,” Dick waved.

“Later Dad.”

Bruce left as Alfred picked up the dishes and started to clean up. Jason looked at Dick. “So you have a team, any missions?”

“None,” Dick said. “Bruce doesn’t have any for us yet. But I think he’s already scheduled our first training day with Black Canary and Red Tornado is our den mother, which is pretty cool. And I’ve already got something on all my teammates if all the missions we’re running will be covert ops.”

“If he needs a covert Ops team he should just ask us,” Jason grumbled.

“Covert ops means secret and unseen, right?” Tim asked.

“Yeah. But most of the team has no experience with covert ops. I’m sure Miss Martian will be great at it though,” Dick said.

“No one could beat Cass though,” Tim boasted proudly. “She’s the best at hide and seek. I bet she could beat Miss Martian.”

Cass smiled thanking him then pointed to Dick communicating she thought he was really good at it too. Jason squawked. “Hey! What about me?”

She shook her head holding a finger to her lips then covering her ears giving Jason a look that even he understood. He didn’t protest that. Cass couldn’t really be argued with. Then Tim turned to Dick. “Will we ever get to meet your team? Besides Wally. I want to meet Superboy and Miss Martian and Aqualad. We could come to Mt. Justice. They can’t go to the watchtower like us, can they?”

“No,” agreed Dick. “But I don’t think Bruce wants them to know about you guys. Not even Batgirl. I’m sure you’ll get to meet them one day though but I’m not allowed to tell them a lot of things.”

“Why do you get a team and we don’t though?” Jason asked complaining.

“Because there are actually other heroes my age,” Dick pointed out. Jason growled something incomprehensible.

“Are you going to be at meetings and missions all the time now?” Tim asked. “Will you or Dad be like Uncle Clark with Superboy? He’s too busy for him.”

Dick collected his younger brother in a hug. “I’ll always have time for family, even if I’m part of a team.”

Tim nodded eyes brightening. Cass was bringing a coloring book over with markers and crayons then plopped it in front of Jason pointing to a page before starting on it. Tim looked up at Dick then. “Do you want to see my new experiment?”

Dick opened his mouth when his cell phone rang. It was Barbara. “ _So…. You’ve got a team. Still have time for other friends?”_

Dick rolled his eyes. “You’re already outside, aren’t you? Of course I have time for you. I need to tell you everything.”

“Go ahead pixie boots,” Barbara said taking a seat next to him. She peeked into Cass’s coloring book. “Nice picture. Is the purple princess yours Jason?”

“Hardy har har Barbie,” Jason said. “C’mon Timbo. Let’s let the big kids talk. Want to help me with a little project?”

Dick rolled his eyes as his brothers ran off and Cass running after them as Barbara looked at him and demanded him to spill. Dick grinned. He was happy he had a new team but he had the best one right here.


	4. Brothers Tell Each Other Everything

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**July 17th**

**Jason is 10**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 7**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

A week and a half passed. Dick hadn’t been at the cave again since that first day though two or three days in he’d met with Aqualad and Kid Flash again. The rest of his days had been spent at home or training in the BatCave. He’d gone to work with Bruce a few times too and done things with Barbara and Wally. The latter hadn’t talked to him for a few days after he’d revealed he’d known about the watchtower. Then his phone had rung a few seconds ago with Wally’s name.

“ _Hey.”_

_“Hi Dick…look… I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk. I know how Bats is with all these things. I mean he probably gave you at least ten rules when he agreed to the team. I shouldn’t have gotten mad.”_

_“Yeah he did. And you had the right to be upset,”_ Dick sighed. _“I wanted to tell you. I just… you know Bruce…”_

_“Yeah,”_ Wally answered. “ _I do. I’m guessing all the others have been up there too? To train?”_

_“Jason has. But not Tim and Cass. B is planning on taking them soon. Tim’s birthday is later this week. Neither of them has met the whole League yet.”_

_“I’m still jealous, I mean.. I get where Roy was coming from.”_

_“It’s okay Wally. Have you heard from him? Roy I mean…”_

_“No,”_ Wally said. Dick could tell he was disappointed. _“I was going to call a meeting of the Club Redhead but I thought Aqualad should be there and I know Bruce doesn’t want BG doing things with us just yet.”_

_“I haven’t heard from him either. But I can find out where he is. Call Aqualad. We’re going to convince Roy to join the team. I mean… he’s always been with us. He can’t just quit on it now.”_

Dick heard Wally sigh as he replied. _“I don’t know man. I mean, he’s practically our older brother and everything but he’s eighteen now. He was getting sick of Ollie and his rules. We have to try though. Meet at the Star Zeta tubes soon.”_

Dick nodded setting his phone down. He looked at the time soon. Bruce would be home soon to patrol. The others were in the cave, Cass in her outfit and Tim on the computer as Jason trained. Dick got into his Robin suit and put on his mask. “Timmy, pull up Roy’s location. Would you?”

“Okay,” Tim asked as he did it. “Why?”

“Wally, Kaldur and I are going to try and get him to join the team. I need you guys to cover for me while I go too,” Dick said as he looked at the location. Roy was just starting patrol on the streets of Star it seemed like. It was 7 there, even though it was just past ten in Gotham. He headed to the Zeta tubes.

“No way,” Jason said. “You can’t just break the rules again and expect us to cover for you with the old man.”

“Please Jay?” Dick pleaded. “It’s Roy. We’re worried.”

“Then let me come too. I mean your friends are annoying, especially Wally, but they let me hang with you and you could have chosen worse. Let me suit up and I’ll come.”

“Then Bruce will kill both of us,” Dick shook his head. “Stay here and cover for me. Please. I’ll make sure Roy knows you care.”

“Not too much,” Jason told him after a moment.

Dick turned back to the zeta tube starting to put in a location when Tim shouted. “Wait! If you want to find Roy easily there seems like there’s something going down at the Harbor around 11 at their time. Wait a few hours and plan with your friends.”

Dick nodded. “Sounds good. Thanks Baby bird.”

He headed through the zeta tube determined. Wally and Roy had been the first people besides the League to know he was Robin. They’d grown up playing together at Mt. Justice and later at each other’s houses then helping each other with their Mentors on missions. Dick had missed having an older brother figure after his family died and he lost his cousin Johnny. Roy had filled that spot while Wally had become like a slightly older twin he could get in trouble with.

Now Roy had decided he didn’t need them or was better. He couldn’t be Ollie’s partner or part of their family. Dick could understand where he was coming from but at the same time he was mad. He wouldn’t abandon his younger siblings no matter how upset he was at Bruce. Roy wanted independence and respect but this might not be the way to get it. He hadn’t said anything to anyone. Dick knew he was okay, he’d seen Roy reading the texts in their Team Red group chain but he hadn’t said anything. It made him worried.

He and Wally would do it. They’d convince Roy to come back. Ollie was still the man who raised him, Dinah was still worried like a mother should be, he and Wally needed Roy. He was their family. Family wasn’t allowed to get away like that. They were brothers. And they used to tell each other everything, he couldn’t let that change.

Cass watched the Zeta beam glow as her oldest brother left and glared at the two others. Roy was cool and was Dick’s friend. But Bruce would be mad. She didn’t like when Bruce got mad. Just then the clock opened upstairs and Bruce came down to see the Zeta-beam power down. He looked around.

“Where’s Dick?”

“He’s working on a case. Said he needed to go now if he wanted to get anything and he couldn’t wait for you. I’m sure you’ll bump into him on patrol,” Jason said smoothly.

Bruce raised an eyebrow in doubt. He pressed his comm link. “Robin?”

There was no answer and Jason rolled his eyes. Stupid Dickhead. Cass climbed up on the T. Rex to watch as Bruce turned to Tim. “Do you want to tell me where your brother is?”

“He’s gone,” Tim said.

“Where?” Bruce asked. “You’ll be eight in a few days Tim. Don’t lie to me, I expect you to do the mature thing.”

Jason huffed then. The dumb replacement was going to get them all in trouble now. He couldn’t stand letting Bruce down. Dick should have known better than to tell Tim these things.

Tim’s eyes widened. “But Dick asked me to help him..”

“I just want to make sure he’s safe,” Bruce assured him as he came out in his batsuit lowering his gaze on Tim. “Help me with that Tim. Or I’ll have to put you to bed before you can help me or anyone else on comms tonight. I’ll have to let Jason do that. ”

Tim pouted. He loved running things from the computer because he wasn’t allowed in the field yet. It was his job. He trembled as he spoke the words gushing out as if he thought saying them faster would make Dick or Bruce less upset. “He went to find Roy with Aqualad and Kid Flash! They want to have him join the team. They’re going to go help him on a bust at 11 in Star. He said not to wait up for him and cover for him. I’m sorry!”

Bruce sighed. “It’s okay Tim. I’ll talk to Dick when he gets home. Keep an eye on his tracker and vitals and let me know. Bedtime in an hour and a half. For you too Jason. Cass will be home by then too unless something keeps us out on patrol. Now come, Batgirl is waiting.”

Cass hopped from her spot on the dinosaur using moves Dick had taught her to flip her way into her seat in the batmobile. Bruce got in besides her as Jason resumed his training and Tim his work on the computer. He wouldn’t punish Dick this time. He’d promised he’d trust their team and he knew what Roy meant to his oldest son. Ollie had made some mistakes and Roy was trying to be free of him and sort out his own issues.

The teenager wouldn’t join their team. Not while he was trying to prove himself as his own hero without his mentor or the League. And Bruce couldn’t coddle Dick if he wanted his son to trust him. He had to let him make his own choices, or at least some of them now.

Bruce turned to Cass as he rode out onto the streets of Gotham. She looked up at him sensing he was about to say something. He looked down at her seriously. “Do me a favor. Don’t grow up to fast on me.”

Cass looked confused but nodded. Bruce shook his head. She’d already grown since he took her in half a year ago. He’d found the information to figure out she’d turned nine right after she moved in. Tim would be eight in a few days, nearly a year and a half after he first moved in with Bruce. Jason had been with him for two and a half, almost three years now. He’d be eleven in a just over a month. Barbara wasn’t his own but she felt like it having been helping as Batgirl for just over the time Jason moved in with them. She and Dick would be starting high school this year. If he felt like this he wondered how Alfred felt watching him?


	5. They're Good, He's Proud

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**July 19 th **

**Jason is 10**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

The living room was crowded with things as Alfred cleaned up. Tim’s party had been a success, at least with the friends he had from school, which weren’t many. Harper Row and her younger brother Cullen, who was Cass’s age were both scholarship kids. Of a similar background to Jason both were smart and Harper enjoyed gadgetry which had her and Tim building all day.

Dick had asked Wally to come over too, Tim loved the older redhead and discussing science with him. He loved the gift Wally brought on behalf of his Aunt and Uncle as well, another science kit. Barbara had come with her dad who had since left along with the other guests. Now it was just Jason, Barbara, Wally and Dick sitting on the floor.

“Another meeting of Team Red, are we still calling it that though?” Wally asked as he looked around him.

“Why wouldn’t we be?” asked Barbara.

“Because we have more people with black hair then red now,” Wally said glumly. “Since Roy left. He couldn’t be here for Timmy’s first meeting. This means you’re part of the underage superhero community now. Even if some of the other superhero kids don’t know it.”

“I still really want to meet them,” sighed Tim but then he smiled up at Wally. “I think you and still call it Team Red though. Jason is Red Hood, right? And I’ve come up with my name.”

“You have?” Both his brothers were looking at him surprised waiting to hear from him. Barbara and Wally also looked at him curiously.

“I gave Alfred the outfit design I wanted too,” nodded Tim. “Even though I won’t be doing patrols yet and only training. Bruce still thinks I’m not ready.”

“I’m still barely allowed to patrol more than once every month or when Bruce really needs me,” Jason said. “He said he’ll let me help soon though. I’m getting better. And you are too. So what’s that name?”

“I have to ask if it’s okay with you and Dick first,” Tim said looking down tentatively. “I want to be called Red Robin. Does that work?”

Both his older brothers exchanged glances then grinned. Dick hugged him. “I love it. Robin’s still mine. It was my mom’s name for me. But this is great. Something from me and Jay.”

“I like it,” Jason agreed. “See Wally? Now you have enough Red members.”

“Maybe we should invite Megan too,” Wally said. “She has red hair.”

Dick gave him a meaningful look. “Not today Wally. It’s still Tim’s birthday. We have a lot more happening. The team Red meeting is just the first thing on the list.”

Barbara nodded. “I wish I could come with you to the watchtower but Dad is actually home tonight. I can stay to see your new suit at least.”

“At least you’ve seen the watchtower,” Wally moaned. “I still can’t believe you guys knew it existed. Stupid bats and knowing everything.”

For that he earned for glares. Tim looked at him. “Cass and I haven’t been there yet. I haven’t met a lot of the Leaguers. Only Uncle Clark, Uncle Barry, Uncle Ollie, Aunt Diana, Aunt Dinah and Uncle Hal. Batman said Aquaman was too busy in Atlantis to come to last years Christmas party and the Hawks were off world with Martian Manhunter and the other Green Lantern. And a lot of the other Leaguers don’t know who Dad really is.”

Wally ruffled his hair. “Yeah. I’ve got it Tim. None of our team knows who Rob here really is either.”

Dick rolled his eyes. Wally couldn’t just stop bringing it up.

Wally turned to him. “You’re still coming tomorrow, right? We’re having a team hangout/bonding session. Dinah recommended it. Said we could use get to knowing each other before we faced something together again. We need more trust. We didn’t do to well with Mr. Twister yesterday.”

“Yeah,” Dick sighed. “See you then Wally.”

“Have fun on your first day in space Tim!” Wally said waving as he headed out. Lightning flashed through the air as he left leaving the four batkids alone. They got up and joined Alfred in the kitchen. Cass was sitting their too working on a piece of cake. She got up and grinned hugging Tim and offering him another piece.

He shook his head. “I’m too nervous. It’s going to be your first time meeting most of the League too. Aren’t you?”

Cass didn’t reply. She took Barbara’s hand and pointed to the door to Bruce’s office leading her there. The boys walked after, Dick and Jason both with arms around Tim’s shoulder as they walked down. Soon they were all in their costumes, except Barbara, waiting for Tim to come out.

In a black mask like Robin’s Tim exited. He wore a mostly black suit with a cape that came down and fastened under a symbol of a bird’s head slightly shaped like an R on the center of his chest. Under it his chest and abdomen were red as were sides of his arms. The sides of his body and underarms were black. So were his pants and his utility belt. It had gold and yellow detailing like the symbol on his chest though.

“Looks amazing Tim,” Robin told him grinning. “Like a real Robin.”

“Red Robin,” the younger boy pouted. “And that was the idea, wasn’t it?”

Batman placed his hand on Red Robin’s shoulder. “You look like a hero he meant. I’m proud of you Tim, you’ve been training so hard and gotten farther than we ever thought you could. Soon enough you’ll be ready to come out on patrol with us. And you’re already doing better than most adults would on solving cases and on the computers.”

Tim positively beamed at the compliment. “Thanks Dad! I mean Batman… Do we get to go now?”

“Get ready Baby bird,” Red Hood told him pulling up the hood over the back of his head. His mask was over his eyes and Cass stood next to him. “You get to go to the Watchtower. Most people don’t even know it exists.”

Barbara shook her head laughing. “Just don’t take any pictures or show them to Wally. Have fun. I’ve got to get going before Dad comes back looking.”

Red Robin turned to face his siblings and father and nodded. “I’m ready.”

“Go ahead,” Batman said to Robin. He went through the Zeta-beam announcing his name. Red Hood followed as it announced Guest. Then Batman put in numbers for his two youngest following them.

On the watchtower Superman landed next to Wonder Woman who was sitting with the rest of the main Leaguers, the ones who knew about the batkids at least. Aquaman raised an eyebrow at both of them. “Did Batman tell you why we’re here? It can’t be about the team.”

“No,” Superman said frowning. “He said he was bringing Robin again.”

“We can’t let Roy too?” Green Arrow muttered. “I mean I have nothing against the birds and bats but I think we should let him up here.”

“No,” Wonder Woman shook her head. “You ex-partner is too brash. Batman at least makes sure his protégées know what they’re doing and how to keep a secret. This is part of their training and Roy did not need this like they did. If he joins the League now he may come. He’s an adult.”

Black Canary nodded. “I hate to agree. I love Roy like my son but he’s not ready to be here. Even Batman’s younger kids show more responsibility and readiness to be here then him. Red Hood’s about as brash as Roy but even he thinks and prioritizes like Batman.”

“Those children are the only exception,” agreed Aquaman. “For now. Someday I would like to bring Kaldurahm here. But this place would not be possible without Robin.”

Martian Manhunter hummed. “M’gann has told me about their experience as a team yesterday. She has good impressions of all of them. Though they were a bit upset first, from a conversation with Speedy. She says she would like to be as good as Robin. He is as talented as many leaguers.”

Just then the Zeta-tube announced Robin. He walked out before it announced Red Hood too. All the Leaguers turned to them. Hawk Woman raised an eyebrow. “So Batman was not just bringing Robin. Are you both training with us today?”

“Actually-“ Red Hood started.

“- _Guest: Black Bat. Guest: Red Robin. Batman 02.”_

A little girl with hair just shorter than her shoulder in all black with a gold batsymbol on her chest and a cowl exited. Then followed a little boy in a red and black outfit with Batman both behind them. He had a hand on both their shoulders. The league all stared at him.

“Is that—” started Superman.

“It’s Red Robin,” the little boy said. “And we’re not talking to you until you talk to Superboy.”

Robin laughed as Superboy gaped like a fish. Aquaman looked at Batman curiously. “These are your two youngest?”

“You aren’t letting them start yet,” asked Flash surprised. “I mean Red Robin’s just seven.”

“He’s eight,” corrected Robin.

“Right,” Flash agreed. “Sorry I missed the party.”

“No patrol for him,” Batman agreed. “Just training. Red Hood is still on restricted too. As for Black Bat, she’s a better fighter than majority of the League of Assasins. I’ve given you her file.”

All of the Leaguers winced remembering the file about David Cain and the things he’d made his daughter do. Cass just looked at them. Like Tim she had met a lot of the leaguers before, at least the ones who were at Dick’s thirteenth birthday party last march. Both she and Tim were to busy staring out the windows into space now.

Batman continued. “Like the others they need to train if they want to do anything. I have no doubt about Black Bats ability, this is less about training for her as it is with familiarizing her with new enviroments and people to work on communication. I couldn’t leave her while I gave Red Robin this opportunity.”

Black Bat turned to the Leaguers. Hawkwoman grinned at her. “Come little warrior. I would like to see this skill Batman is so proud of.”

Cass smiled and walked over to Hawkwoman holding her hand as she led her off to fight. Batman nodded with a slight smirk. “Red Hood, go work with Martian Manhunter on mind guards. You need that more than any physical training right now.”

“Cool,” Red Hood grinned. “Wait, does that mean I can’t fight with Wonder Woman like I planned?”

“No,” Batman said strictly. Jason huffed following Martian Manhunter away. Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow at him as Batman shook his head and several other leaguers shook with mirth.

Hal Jordan laughed. “I really love that kid.”

“You’re not allowed to be around him,” Batman said. “He doesn’t need any more bad influences.”

“Hey!”

Batman looked around the Leaguers. “Red Robin, how do you want to start?”

“He can start with me if he wants,” Black Canary offered. “Is that okay?”

Red Robin grinned jumping over to her. “Yeah. I mean I don’t think I could fight Superman yet. Unless I had kryptonite. And we’re not talking to him anyway. And I promised Wally I’d tell him when I fight Flash. He wants to help me win.”

Flash coughed at that as Green Arrow laughed.

“Ja-,” Red Robin paused. “I mean Red Hood said not to fight with Green Arrow. He’s to easy to beat.”

“Hey!”

“Go with Black Canary,” Batman nodded. “Robin..”

“Actually Batman I think I’m going to talk with Superman,” Robin said with a meaningful look.

Batman’s smirk grew. He watched Red Robin start with Black Canary who was obviously going gentle but the kid was holding his own for now. Red Hood was growling that he needed another chance to Martian Manhunter. Hawk Woman was already getting off the floor grinning as Black Bat skipped back over to him.

She looked at the other Leaguers questioningly. Green Arrow and Green Lantern backed away as Batman rolled his eyes. Aquaman raised his eyebrows impressed as Hawkwoman came back over rubbing her arm. “She’s good.”

“They all are,” Batman said. “Diana do you mind?”

For once Diana didn’t protest Batman’s children training and fighting. Instead she nodded reaching for his hand and giving it a squeeze and an approving smile. She then took Cass’s hand. Batman looked at her with an eyebrow raised as she walked off with his daughter talking about weapons. Then he smirked and went to go watch as Robin continued to yell at a througly abashed and stubborn Superman. He had spoken true about his kids before and he was proud.


	6. Robin Soars, Robin Hatches

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**July 20th**

**Jason is 10**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

Dick ran into the dining room as everyone was starting dinner. Bruce raised an eyebrow asking where he had been and Dick grinned looking around. “Sorry, I was at Mt. Justice. We’re having a camp out. I mean… Can I go?”

“Go ahead,” Bruce sighed as Dick pumped his fist and cheered. “We’ll just go on patrol without Robin tonight.”

Dick gave him a strange look then turned to Jason. “Yeah.. about that…”

A few minutes later Dick was standing alone with Bruce. He had a packed bag next to him and sunglasses on his forehead. Bruce leaned forward. “Now what is this about.”

“It’s an idea,” Dick said. “Not one I’ve just thought of. I mean, it’s important to me. But I’m going to be with the team most the time now. Robin can’t just disappear from Gotham’s streets. So I was thinking for the nights I’m not here Jason could take over.”

“He’s not ready,” Bruce shook his head.

“You’re kidding right?” Dick asked flabbergasted. “You saw him when we trained at the watchtower yesterday. He took down Green Arrow and Green Lantern easily. Uncle Barry had a hard time with him too and Martian Manhunter said his mind guard is better than it’s ever been. He’s good Bruce.”

Bruce sighed and stayed silent for a few moments. “You’re sure about this? I know what Robin means to you. If you’re with the team Robin doesn’t have to be out otherwise. That’s not so important.”

Dick laughed. “Nah. Robin’s become a lot more than me now. It’s a symbol. Gotham loves Robin and they need to see him there. One of my older suits will fit him. You know Alfred keeps them saved.”

Bruce looked at him for a second and then nodded. “Fine. Let’s ask him …”

A few minutes later both of them were in the cave. Batman looked at Cass and Tim and shook his head at them. “No patrol for you two tonight. Get to bed. Jason?”

“Am I in trouble?” Jason asked. “I thought you didn’t know about…”

He paused seeing Bruce didn’t know about any of that and shut his mouth. Dick laughed. “No, not in trouble Jaybird. I was thinking, how would you like to be Robin tonight?”

“What?” Jason asked doing a double take. He pointed at Dick then himself. “But you’re Robin. I’m Red Hood remember?”

“I know that. But I’m not going to be around to patrol sometimes now that I have a team and Robin can’t just disappear from Gotham. I told Bruce, it’s kind of more than me now. Robin needs to be there and you’re ready for it. How does that sound?”

Jason just gaped at him. Then he grinned. “Yeah! You really mean it? I can be Robin?”

“The outfit and everything,” Dick told him as Jason hugged him. Dick stepped back surprised, Jason never hugged anyone by choice. At least not often. He hugged Jason back. “So you ready?”

In response Jason ran off and grabbed the outfit Alfred had just left out. He returned a minute later in green pants and a red, yellow and black cape. Dick’s outfit until last year. He crossed his arms and grinned. “How do I look?”

Dick pretended to think. “I mean… I pulled it off a lot better. But you can do it.”

Jason tackled him. Dick grabbed his head under his arm and held it giving Jason a noogie as Jason tried to push him off and flip him off. Dick laughed flipping back until he was by the Zeta tube. He saluted to Jason. “Do good and have fun. I’m already late. I have to make sure Wally doesn’t make too much of a fool of himself in front of Miss M.”

Batman smirked as the zeta beam activated and opened the door to the batmobile. He turned to Jason who was growling at the Zeta. “Are you ready Robin?”

 

____________________________________-

 

Two days later Dick pulled off his sunglasses as he walked into the Batcave from the zeta tube. Their mission to Santa Prisca had been both a huge wreck and a success. He still wasn’t sure about how to feel with what happened while choosing a team leader. Batman was at the chair working on the Batcomputer when he walked over.

“You really had the whole team going,” Dick told him. “I mean they were terrified of you.”

“You weren’t?” Bruce asked.

“I’ve never been scared of you. I am a bit upset about the detailed reports from everyone. It’s not like you’ll actually be able to learn anything from Wally’s or Conner’s. At least I’m used to it, and the evaluations.”

“They need to learn now or they’ll be as useless with that as the league. Do you want to tell me why you couldn’t work together like you have previously on _unsanctioned_ missions?”

“We were trying to choose the leader. I thought I could prove myself, but Kaldur was right. When I’m working with you, Cass, Barbara, Jason and even some leaguers I know how you’ll act. I know how it will work. But with the team… especially with Connor and M’gann I can’t do any of that. I just wanted to lead a team like you.”

Bruce nodded at him. “I understand Dick. As for leading the team, I wasn’t really ready for it much at the start either. I’ve only learnt how to use teamwork because I worked with you. Before that I wasn’t the best at this either. And soon you will be to. Aqualad was right, you will lead the team someday. It’s what we’ve all been training you to do since day one.”

“You really think so?” asked Dick.

“I know it,” Bruce assured him. “For now you’ll start as I did with Clark. He was the leader, or something similar. I was the strategist. I showed them what they could do better, pointed out the teams flaws, made everything work better.”

“So you want me to do that?” Dick asked.

“I think you know your team. You can monitor better than I ever can and I trust you to be right about it. With time you’ll be ready to lead missions then the entire team. You already lead your siblings well enough.”

Dick grinned at the compliment giving him a hug. “Thanks dad, I can’t wait to tell Jason! He’s been waiting to fight Bane! And I have to text Barbara too.”

“Go to sleep,” Bruce told him with an amused smile as Dick ran upstairs. He closed the several evalutions he had been working on but his mouse hovered a little as he looked over the last one once again. In Romanian he added one sentence. **‘Proud of you, little bird.”**


	7. On Fathers

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**August 3 rd**

**7:30 EDT**

**Jason is 10**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

 

Bruce sighed as he came back in from another meeting. He hated coming to Metropolis to meet with Luthor about anything. Each time he turned him down. Especially since a lot of Luthor’s recent offers weren’t even about anything he had a right to decide. Drake Industries might be in his hands until Tim was old enough but he wouldn’t do a thing, especially make a deal with Luthor. Tim already was starting to understand about running a company. He’d sat in on enough of Bruce’s meetings. He missed his kids here and couldn’t wait to return home later to them.

Then there was a crashing sound. Bruce stopped his pacing in front of the office window to watch a bus dangling dangerously at the edge of the bridge. He walked over to the bust on his desk flipping it over to push a button and see a hidden Batman suit. Then a streak of red flew past his window as Superman flew to the bridge. In front of him a black haired boy in a black shirt and jeans leaped from the top of a building towards the bridge.

With a pair of binoculars Bruce watched Superman fly past the bus getting the bridge stable. Superboy landed hard on the bridge making it crack a little more as he got a car away from the edge. The bus tipped closer over the edge and Superboy grabs the back end trying to pull it up. Then suddenly it flew above him as Superman flies up holding it from under. Bruce sighed putting down the binoculars. Superboy had just been trying to help, even if he went through with it in the wrong way he just needed someone to show him how to use the experience.

Then his comm buzzed.

“Yes?”

“ _Batman, it’s Green Arrow. Black Canary and I are fighting a killer robot that can use all the League’s powers. We need everyone’s help.”_

“I’m on my way. Have you called everyone else?”

_“Just finished with Superman.”_

Bruce watched him streak passed and pulled out the suit. As he pushed his comm again.

**_“I already got the alert Bruce.”_ **

**_“I know Clark, but we need to talk.”_ **

This couldn’t go on. Dick’s talk hadn’t worked, neither had his children blacklisting Clark or anything else. He would get through to the Kryptonian. Superboy couldn’t continue without a mentor and a real home. Then he followed the Man of Steel to the Zeta tubes to help the rest of the League.

________________________________

 

            “What happened? This wasn’t from your meeting with Luthor.” Robin asked as he walked out from getting ready to leave to the cave to see Bruce sitting on the chair in front of the Batcomputer with bandages all around his ribcage. It had been a little over four and a half hours since he’d seen Superman and Superboy in Metropolis.

            “League mission. An android, a dangerous one, I’m arranging the transport of it’s parts to different STAR labs facilities. I’m just here for a few minutes. I have to get back to Metropolis.”

            Robin groaned. Then he looked at Batman pointedly realizing something. “You used the Zeta?”

            “And I will again,” Bruce told him. “After I finish this. Though I’ll be back tonight. Especially because I found the identity of our vigilante.”

            Robin leaned forward interested. The last three days reports of a female vigilante, a blonde teenager, had appeared in Gotham. The thing is she was dressed in green and used arrows. They’d managed to get pictures and footage. She was good, but she was also masked. “So who is she?”

            “Artemis Crock. She’s fifteen and she’s no amateur,” Bruce said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if her father has been training her for years.”

            “Her father?” Robin asked surprised. He was suddenly thinking of Cassie who was playing with Harper Row and Tim upstairs.

            “Lawrence Crock. Sportsmaster. Her mother was Paula Nyugen, Huntress. And if my information is correct her sister has been working for the League of Assassins,” Bruce told him.

            Robin’s eyes widened as his face steeled. “Her mom was just released from Blackgate, right? Her dad is definitely still active. If she continues we’ll help her.”

            “I’ll talk to Oliver about it. You have training now,” Bruce told him. “And I need to get back and finish making sure this happens so I can talk to Clark.”

            “Finally!” Robin cheered. “I’ll see you later Bruce.”

Batman sighed closing the files pulling on his shirt, suit and tie then going back to Metropolis. Robin would be seeing him sooner than he thought if the League agreed with his plans. He’d send it over comms now to be final.

 

**Litchfield County**

**August 3 rd **

**20:08 EDT**

Robin and the team stood ready on their motorcycles. Batman stood nearby with the rest of the leaguers ready to send four decoy trucks and several real ones to different cities. Batman saw Robin’s eyes following him as he walked over to Superman with an approving nod. Then he turned to follow Superboy and the trucks leaving Batman with the League.

**_“We need to talk.”_ **

“What?” Superman asked as he looked over his shoulder to see Batman. He turned around.

“Bibbo’s Diner,” Bruce said. “I’ll get you some of your apple pie.”

“Fine,” Superman sighed as he took off looking down at Batman. “After your meeting with Perry I’m guessing.”

Batman smirked. There were perks to owning the Daily Planet. He walked over to Green Arrow then. “I need to talk to you too.”

“Is this about Roy, because that’s not the same situation as Superboy.”

“No,” Batman shook his head. “Roy’s the issue in that situation. Superman is the issue with Superboy. You can keep trying your best to get him back. All of us will. But I have something else to ask you for help with. A chance to make up for the mistakes you made with Roy. To help someone else do better.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come by tomorrow night,” Batman told him as he left.

 

**Outside Gotham City**

Robin held onto his comm switching the channel as he drove after Superboy towards Gotham. He pressed it thinking that thinks couldn’t be worse and at least praying that someone would answer.

_“What’s up Robin?”_ Batgirl’s voice answered.

“The team is coming towards Gotham. The parts to an android that beat the earlier have been stolen while we were guarding them.”

Wally approached just then in full uniform.

“One second,” Robin told Batgirl.

“ ** _So you changed too?”_** Wally asked looking at him. **_“I feel naked in civvies. You still tracking the parts?”_**

**_“They were heading through Gotham, but they veered.”_** Robin looked at his glove to read they were 26.5 miles away. **_“Wait! Dude, they’re at my school!”_**

_“The Academy?”_ Batgirl asked. “ _Black Bat, Red Hood and I are nearby.”_

“No. Batman will kill us if you’re discovered.”

“Is that BG?” Wally asked. “Yeah. Tell her and the others we got this handled. We can celebrate together at the cave with Alfred’s cookies after we win.”

Robin rolled his eyes as he repeated that. Then added something else. “Red Robin are you there too?”

“ _Yeah. With Agent A.”_

“Keep a full eye on the situation for me. I’ll be listening and you can call Wally too. Batgirl, Black Bat, Red Hood?”

_“We’re heading back, but I really want to help fight this robot,”_ Jason’s voice complained.

_“No Master Jason. Or Master Bruce will have all of your heads. Robin tell Mr. West that there will be enough cookies ready for him afterwards,”_ Alfred’s voice came through. “ _He can have Master Bruce’s he’s out with Master Clark for dinner. Both of them will probably be having dessert.”_

“Thanks. Sorry to cut your patrol short guys,” Robin said before turning his comms back to the teams channel. He looked at Wally. “Agent A says we have cookies.”

“Yes!” Wally cheered as he sped up. Robin took off after him.

Sadly Wally did not get his cookies. They were called back to the cave for a debfriefing with Green Arrow, Black Canary, Red Tornado, Martian Manhunter and Batman. The latter was looking at them all.

**_“Complications come with the job. Your ability to handle them has impressed the League,”_** he told them.

Superboy looked at him disbelieving. “ ** _THe whole League?”_**

**_“Given time, yes. Kryptonians, as you know, have very hard heads.”_** Batman could see Robin rolling his eyes at that statement. They’d have to talk about what happened with Clark and what to do next. It might be time to bring in Lois and the Kents. Nothing could help convince him more than his fiancée and parents. **_“Of course, there’s no shame in asking for help. That’s why the League exists. Because there’s some problems even we can’t handle individually.”_**

**_“Please. If we needed help, we’d never even get the chance to ask .”_** Robin pulled out the arrow he’d found at the gym. It was different than Green Arrows usual ones but it wasn’t hard to believe that Batman had someone following the team in Gotham. Batman had followed him all throughout his first patrol, and through Barbara’s, Cass’s and Jason’s. He was sure he’d do the same for Tim. If he was in Gotham on a mission he’d know that Bruce was tracking him. If he wasn’t with the team he might’ve understood. But Bruce was just supposed to let him be now.

**_“Look familiar? You were following us. Babysitting! You still don’t trust us.”_ **

Batman took the arrow passing it to Green Arrow who pulled an arrow from his quiver for comparison. This was another thing they’d need to talk about, to both Oliver and Dick. He understood Dick’s complaints and that could be addressed another time. But this arrow meant he and Oliver would have to talk sooner than he thought. Especially if _she’d_ discovered the team.

**_“We didn’t follow you.”_ **

**_“And that’s not your arrow…”_** Robin’s eyes widened meeting Batman’s. This was from Gotham, from their case and their new vigilante.

Wally however knew none of that and took another path. **_“Speedy!”_**

**_“He has our backs,”_** Aqualad smiled as Kid Flash took the arrow and declared it a souvenir. Green Arrow exchanged a look with Batman while Superboy walked over to Black Canary. Robin watched them with a grin before following Batman through the Zeta Tube.

“I do trust you you know,” Batman told him as soon as they were back in the Batcave.

“I mean, I had a reason to doubt. You’ve followed me on patrol before,” Dick said pulling off his mask. “And don’t think I don’t know about all the trackers you have on us.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “You guys did good. _You_ did good, getting Batgirl, Black Bat and Red Hood out of the way before the others realized they were there. Artemis could have seen them when she was there too if you hadn’t.”

“I figured this was hers. Roy’s always used yellow or red fletched arrows. I’m guessing we’ll have another girl on the team soon. Though I’m not sure how happy Wally will be with this one.”

“We need to make sure of a few things first,” Bruce reminded him.

“You’re scared that she’s actually working for her dad or sister,” Robin shook his head. “I mean sure. But no, not really. I think she’s like Cass, she’s wanted to escape what her family forced on her and when she had the chance she took it.”

Bruce was thinking fast. If they accepted her they’d have to have eyes on her at all times. A scholarship might do the trick, then Dick and Barbara could watch her when she wasn’t with the team. But Artemis and her father reminded him of a different issue. “Superboy. He didn’t handle the mission well today.”

“He’s learning,” Dick said after a moment. “I’m sure Black Canary will fill you in later. I’m guessing you didn’t get through to Clark.”

“I tried. He’s adamant he’s not Superboy’s father.”

“He’s still his family,” Dick said. “He doesn’t need to be Superboy’s dad. He just needs to be there for him. Everyone needs someone to help them. I just got lucky, so did Jason and Tim.”

“I’m the lucky one,” Bruce told him with an arm around Dick’s shoulder. “Fine. We’ll get Clark to agree to it another way. He might not be ready for a son. I was sure I needed to help you before I took you in. But Superboy is old enough to be something else.”

“We can introduce him to Ma and Pa,” Dick suggested. “He could be like Clark’s a lot younger brother or cousin. I think Clark’s just scared. He only wants a son after he and Lois get married, which they still haven’t chosen a date for by the way. We can try dropping hints but he’ll have to figure this out on his own.”

Bruce nodded as they walked up the stairs. “I hope you know what I said before was true. You can always ask the League for help. I know you won’t need it often but it’s there. We’re already relying yours and the teams help.”

“I know,” Dick agreed. “We’re good Bruce. Now can I go to sleep?”

Bruce shook his head amused. “Go ahead. I haven’t said hi to the others yet since I’ve been back from Metropolis. Alfred will be waiting with food for me I expect too.”

“Isn’t he always?” Dick asked. Bruce watched him ago and the thought he’d said before repeated in his mind. That he was sure about. He was the lucky one now, that he’d had a father when his parents had dies. One who supported him in everything and was still there for him everyday. He was lucky to help these kids that needed him. Clark, so much like him, adopted parents and a child reaching out for his help, needed to learn that too.


	8. Identities Revealed, or Nearly

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**August 8 th**

**Jason is 10**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

 

Dick came down stairs dressed in a shirt and swim shorts carrying a bag of things. Tim looked at him with wide eyes. “Are we going swimming? Or to the beach?”

“I’m actually meeting up with the team, except for Wally. He starts school today,” Dick replied. “But we’ll go later this summer.”

“There’s not a lot of summer left,” Alfred reminded him. “But I’m sure we will all find time to go together. Do you have sunscreen Master Dick?”

“Yes Alfred.”

“Remember the team will have to be ready. We finally talked to Artemis last night,” Bruce reminded him.

“Artemis Crock?” Jason perked up.

“You know her?” Dick asked.

“Yeah. Used to live near her in Crime Alley. She babysat me sometimes,” Jason told him. “I love old crockpot. Don’t tell me she’s joining the team?”

Dick was wondering if any of his other siblings knew his teammate. Like Cass, David Cain had most definitely worked with Lawrence Crock. But Cass hadn’t interacted with any other people besides her father and the people she killed. She definitely hadn’t met Crock’s younger daughter.

“Under the guise of being Green Arrow’s niece,” Bruce said. “But that doesn’t mean you’ll have any interaction with her.”

“Why does Dick get to have all the fun?” Jason complained.

“Can we do something fun today too?” Tim agreed.

Cass nodded.

Dick shook his head. “You’ll have fun without me. And I’ll be back soon, unless we get a mission.”

“Not that I know of,” Bruce told him. Dick left grinning and Bruce turned to his other kids. “I might be able to take off work. So what do you want to do?”

“The museum!” yelled Tim.

“That’s lame. Can we try painballing? Or Laser tag?”

“No Jason. And apologize to Tim,” Bruce said sternly.

“Sorry Tim.”

“It’s okay. Can we do the science center?”

“A sports game!”

“Do you have any ideas Cass?”

Cass thought for a moment. She was holding the stuffed animal Dick had gotten her when she was adopted on her lap. Like he had ZItka, Jason had Batbear, Tim had a Batrabbit and she had a Batdog which looked a lot like Ace who was sleeping under the table now.

She turned to Bruce meekly then started to sign. _“Zoo?”_

“The zoo is a great idea,” Bruce told her. “What do you think Alfred?”

“I think it’s very healthy of you to do something together besides going about the streets fighting supervillians late at night or dragging the children along to charity galas. Though next time we should one when Master Dick is here too, but for now I’ll prepare the lunches.”

Bruce and the children were in the car a half hour later. All of them wore hats and Bruce wore sunglasses as well. People started to act like paparazzi and ask for autographs and pictures. But it was nice for once to be out of the suit (business and bat) and just going out with his kids. Alfred sprayed all the children with sunscreen and told Bruce to take care of them. Jason ran towards the car hopping into the front seat calling shotgun happy to have it for once because Dick wasn’t there. Tim and Cass sat next to each other in the back.

When they pulled up to the zoo Tim had already been talking for a long time about all the animals they would see occasionally pausing to ask Cass questions and listen to her answers in sign. Jason had to be held back with looks from Bruce to stop him from making comments. They paid for tickets and walked in.

“Which animals first?” asked Bruce.

“The snakes,” Jason told him. “At the reptile house. I want to try and do that Harry Potter thing and set an Anaconda on Tim.”

“You can’t do that,” Tim told him though he sounded nervous.

“No he can’t and he won’t,” Bruce agreed.

“Can we go see the birds then? In the aviary?” suggested Tim. “Or the monkeys.”

“The lions,” Jason smirked. “Or maybe crocodiles. Think Killer Croc ever visit the zoo?”

“I don’t think so Jason. Though I’ve been here enough times to stop other rogues. We all need to agree on one thing to see on, my only request is no Hyenas.”

All of them shivered thinking of the Joker and his pets. Then a small hand slipped into Bruce’s and Cass pulled on it. He looked down at her to see her pointing at a sign. “The otters?”

She nodded. He smiled. “Tim, Jason, how does that sound?”

Neither of them were usually able to say no to Cass and they didn’t argue now. Cass’s smile grew as she pulled Bruce down the path with a skip. Tim gripped his other hand and Jason walked nearby.

For the next three hours Bruce was pulled around by his children to the different animals. Cass would stare amazed at each of them as Tim would read the signs, make observations and quote things he read about them. Jason would obviously tease him and try to scare him by telling him those things. He’d press his face against glass barriers and make faces at the animals. He’d even climbed up on the barriers a few times and Bruce had to scold him each time for fear he’d fall in.

They’d stopped for their lunch packed by Alfred but Bruce had treated them all with ice cream too. Chocolate for Cass and himself. Tim got vanilla and Jason got some crazy flavor Bruce didn’t even know.

They stood looking over the leopards with all three kids licking the ice cream. Cass was wearing feline face paint and Tim had been transformed into a monkey. Jason refused to have any saying he was too old for it but Cass had managed to get Bruce to get some tiger stripes on his face with one look. Dick had taught her to use that early on. Bruce still had trouble resisting either of them. Cass was staring at a snow leopard while Jason and Tim argued.

“ _Pretty_ ,” she signed.

“They are pretty, aren’t they?”

Cass looked at a woman standing next to her. Bruce did too. “You understand her sign?”

“I have some training with sign,” the woman answered. Bruce looked at her. She had short black hair in a pixie cut and large green eyes. Her smile was mischievous and she looked familiar. “I’m Selina. What’s your name tiger?”

Bruce suddenly felt self conscious of the face paint Cass had forced on him. He was just happy it hid the slight blush. “Bruce and this is Cass. The two squabbling over there are Jason and Tim.”

He suddenly realizing who she was. Selina Kyle was the notorious cat theif, Catwoman. She was also someone Batman regularly flirted with. Selina nodded. “I recognized you Mr. Wayne though I won’t give you away. Don’t you have another one?”

“He’s with his friends,” Bruce replied thankful she wouldn’t say anything. Though something told him to get faraway from Selina Kyle something else wouldn’t let him. “He’s a teenager now he’s usually pretty busy.”

Selina nodded pleasantly. She looked back at Cass. “Big cats like these are my favorite. Especially the pretty ones. Some of these leopards have nice blue eyes and sometimes the panthers have green.”

Bruce noticed her looking at him. But Silena was continuing to Cass. “Which animal was your favorite?”

_“Panda. It is cute. Tim said they are from China. Like me,”_ Cass signed back.

“China, huh?” Silena asked.

“Actually we don’t know where Cass is from. Her biological father, David Cain, worked around the world and took her with her. But the jobs he did weren’t suitable from kids. Her mom might be Chinese American or something else but that’s our best guess.”

Silena’s eyes widened. She obviously recognized the name David Cain. "All your kids are adopted, aren't they?"

"They're still _my_ kids though-" Bruce started before he heard Jason and Tim talking behind him.

"Ew! Bruce is flirting," Jason said sticking out his tongue.

"What?" 

"He has a new girlfriend!" Jason said.

"Jason," Bruce said warningly. He turned to Silena. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be tiger," she told him. She looked at Jason and Tim. "I'm Silena."

Jason's eyes widened in recognition. "Dad, she's-"

Bruce gave him another warning glance. “Like I was saying they’re my kids, no matter how much trouble they may give me.”

Jason made a grumbling noise. Silena smiled. “I’d better go. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

Bruce smiled in return. As Silena left Jason turned on him. “Really Dad?”

“It won’t happen again,” Bruce told him.

Jason rolled his eyes. “Dick and Barbara have told me about what happens when you see her on patrol even if I haven’t run into her yet.”

Bruce ignored him. Cass was showing Tim the balloon animal she’d gotten and he asked them where they wanted to go next.

“Elephants!” Tim said. “We need to visit them for Dick.”

Bruce smiled and followed his kids down the path to the safari area when there was a sudden flash. Bruce turned to see several men standing with cameras. He groaned. “Someone must have posted a picture online of us. We’ll have to go home.”

“Mr. Wayne! Over here.”

“Can you answer some questions.”

“Pose with the kids!”

Jason raised his hand in a rude gesture and the cameras flashed some more. Bruce made him stop it and put his arms around the kids pushing through the men. They’d managed to get a good four and a half hours at the zoo. They had been lucky but covering up Jason’s reaction to the paparazzi would be annoying. He managed to get them into the car and drive out using some shortcuts he knew.

Alfred greeted them at home. “I heard you ran into some people at the zoo.”

“I’m going to call PR and take care of the gesture Jason gave them. I’ll be gone for a few hours. No patrol for any of you tonight, not as a punishment but because I want you all to get some rest.”

“You want to find Catwoman,” Jason told him.

Bruce ignored him. “I’m going to the office Alfred. I’ll leave to patrol from there.”

_____________________

 

Bruce was sitting at his computer in the office. It was a little past eight and he’d managed to assuage the disaster of the paparazzi a little bit. Now he was finishing up some office work. Then an alert opened up on his computer.

**WAYNETECH Penssylvania: Overide activated. RG04**

Bruce’s eyes widened as he pulled up the images. The team was on the mission to help Dr. Serling Roquette. He’d gone to the mountain for a few minutes before when he was alerted of the situation and to introduce Artemis Crock to the team. He’d come back three hours ago as soon as they had finished. If Robin was at WayneTech that meant the fog was there, if he was using his override it had to be urgent.

Bruce knew they had people still in the building. There was a 24-hour work force, Dick knew that. They had no way to evacuate the building before the fog decimated it. He saw Robin sliding under a gate then get up and run. Lights went black in the cafeteria as Robin ran in pulling out the cable from his hologlove.

The woman seemed to be asking him what was going on. Robin was muttering and tapping away at the holo. The virus was downloading Bruce could tell. In a second the Fog exploded. Robin cheered and headed out a broken window. Bruce shut off the surveillance. They’d managed to stop the fog.

But there might be a cost. Certain people each had a specific override to Wayne facilities. Himself, Alfred, Lucius, Jason, Tim, Barbara and Dick. No one knew about the ones belonging to anyone besides Dick and the adults. But this also meant that Robin using Richard Grayson’s access code could lead to him being exposed. That meant their whole family being exposed.

When Dick got home Bruce was waiting. “You stopped the Fog.”

“And kept Dr. Roquette safe,” Dick agreed. “Just in time too. They almost accessed a-“

“Waynetech facility,” Bruce said. “I know. I got the Override alert.”

“You’re mad,” Dick said sitting down.

“Why did you use it?”

“I tried to download the virus before the Fog was released on the building. But Superboy jumped out and the process was stopped. I had to go in the building to stop to fog and the guard tried to stop me which was his job. I had to use the override to get in and get to a computer. They might have accessed the League.”

“I haven’t checked, did you scrub and evidence of the override code being used?” Bruce said. “If someone had realized you could have exposed your identity and everyone elses.”

“I was saving the world!” Dick protested. “I couldn’t think about that. Only making sure the Fog didn’t collapse the building or get to the league’s systems. Then our identities could’ve gotten out anyway along with everyone elses.”

“You need to be more careful.”

“If there are lives at stakes I don’t care about my identity being revealed. I know how you fell about that. You use secret IDs to protect us. But I don’t think I could sacrifice so many people to make sure my families IDs aren’t outed.”

Bruce sighed. “It worked this time. You said you erased the traces of the overrides being used. That will work. But please be as careful as you can Dick. I’m not arguing that our secret IDs are more important than other peoples lives but it needs to be thought through. How did Artemis work with the team?”

“It was a bit weird,” Dick said. “I mean her and Wally fought the whole time and she made some comments to Superboy like she was flirting. But she fought well and helped but couldn’t catch Chesire.”

“Chesire, she’s League of Assasins,” Bruce said.

“Only for the past few years,” Dick agreed. “Her voice and some other things made me sure she couldn’t be older than 22 or so. My feeling is nineteen or so. Which might be why Artemis let her go.”

“Her sister,” Bruce grunted. “We’ll keep an eye on it. She won’t help the League of Assasins but if fighting her family is an issue we’ll need to do something. Now go to bed Dick. We’ll talk again later.”

 


	9. Mystic Old Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: The contents of this chapter come from the YJ comic. Mostly. There’s a few things that original. Nothing belongs to me though. All lines from the comic or show are in bold. Also ideas pulled from the Flashpoint storyline.

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**August 19 th**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

Robin had been all suited up to join the rest of the team at Mt. Justice when Batman stopped him. “You’re not going with the team.”

“What why not?”

“I need you to help me tonight,” Batman answered. “And I’m sure the rest of them can handle finding Kent Nelson.”

Dick paused. “The old Dr. Fate? He disappeared over a month ago.”

“He’s disappeared for mystical many times before. Never for this long though,” Batman answered. “That’s why the team is going to go look for him.”

“Why can’t I go?” Even though he asked he thought he knew the answer. And Bruce wasn’t going to be honest about it. This was one of the few secrets even Dick hadn’t managed to learn from him.

“Because you’re helping me with patrol tonight,” Batman answered. “Just the original dynamic duo.”

Robin rolled his eyes. “You never use that term. Did Jason call you guys that like ten times a minute while I let him go on patrol with you as Robin on his birthday a few days ago?”

Batman grunted in agreement. “You ready for patrol?”

Robin nodded putting on his mask.

Then something ran on the computer. Batman’s lenses widened. “Not patrol then. We’re going to Cape Canaveral. Hal says Ra’as and the League of Assasins are trying to interrupt a Ferris Air launch.”

Robin grinned madly.

Twenty minutes later he and Batman were fighting assassins in front of a rocket getting ready to launch. He knocked down one and Batman another two but more still came. Ra’as and Talia were out of reach near the Launchpad.

**“I need to get to that Rocket.”**

**“Roger that!”** Robin leaped forward kicking one assassin in the face and flipping out of another’s reach. He stomped down on a third’s head sending him crashing into the one before and sending them both down. **“I’ll run interference. Happy hunting.”**

He turned to face the remaining assassins. Five of them. He swept one’s legs out from underneath and leaped on another’s shoulders flipping him backwards onto the previous one knocking them both out. A birdarang with knockout gas took out two more and the last was as easy as a kick and a punch.

Then he turned to see Batman facing Ubu, the largest member of the League. Ubu had Batman held up against the truck by the neck. **_“Hold tight Batman! Got your back!”_**

Robin crawled under the truck grabbing a hose and wrapped it around Ubu’s leg. Then he went to the front of the truck putting a lock on the gas pedal. “ ** _Now Batman.”_**

He leapt out rolling on the ground as Batman kicked Ubu in the face while he went flying after the truck. **_“I love my job.”_**

Batman climbed up towards the ramparts of the rocket when a bullet flew over his shoulder hitting the metal pole in front of him. **_“Hello Talia.”_**

**_“That was simply to prove I’m serious.”_ **

**_“Uh oh,”_** Robin said watching as he climbed up after them.

**_“You can’t stop me, Talia.”_ **

**_“I must beloved.”_ **

**_“Robin to Batman, you seeing this?”_** Robin asked holding his comm.

Alfred’s voice answered. **_“Unfortunately yes, I have a front row seat.”_**

Talia continued. “It’s not that I approve of all this . But I cannont risk a confrontation between the only two men I love in this world.”

Bruce shot his grappling gun up looking at Ra’as. **“Then you’ll have to shoot me.”**

He went flying up to the ttop of the rocket pulling it open. There was a diamond lens for the weapon that the League of Assassins wanted to use. **_“_ Destroying it won’t be easy.”**

**“Neither easy nor necessary Detective.”**

**“Ra’s Al Ghul.”**

**“Such contempt. And yet I’ve always admired you… believed you the only man worthy of my legacy.** To be my heir, the Warith Al’Ghul. **Why are our encounters always so… adversarial?”**

**“Something to do with your disdain for human life,”** Batman said.

**“Granted the human race is destroying this planet. You tolerate it, I cannot.”** He continued on his rant for a few more minutes with is plan of destroying any highly populated area and leaving the rural ones. As he did so Robin climbed into the rocket taking out a laser tool to take out the diamond lens. He worked quietly listening to Batman and Ra’as talk.

**“I’ll even spare Gotham… since you’ve developed such an unhealthy attachment to the place** and the orphans you call family there. They’re not even your true blood. But I will spare them, Cassandra will do quite well as The One Who Is All. I have a thought or two for Richard and Timothy. The street brat will be harder to place. But you can have them and be with Talia again, complete a _true_ family. **All this is possible if only you’d join me.”**

**“Pass.”**

**“There’s just no pleasing you. This remote will launch the rocket now. You see detective, I’ve failed in the past by underestimating you. Not this time.”**

Robin could hear the grin in Batman’s voice. **“This time I’m not the one who you underestimated.”**

Robin cackled popping out of the top of the rocket. “ **Gotcher nose…cone lens!”**

**“No…”**

**“Why do bad guys always say no? They see me standing here with the thing and still they say no. You’re in denial, Ra’s. Ever thought of trying Re-nial instead?** ” Robin asked throwing the diamond lens over the side. Ra’as yelled jumping after it and Robin reached out after him. **“Wait! I didn’t mean for…”**

Ra’as splatted at Talia’s feet. Ubu quickly pulled him up so that they could take him into the Lazarus pit. He disappeared into a helicopter with Talia which then took off. Robin and Batman stood watching knowing it was hardly worthwhile to stop them.

**_“Master Bruce, Master Dick. I have an emergency alert from Red Tornado._** ” Batman and Robin exchanged glances as they looked at each other hearing of Kent Nelson’s death and climbing away to get down before the launch happened in the next twenty minutes. As they rode back on the Batplane Robin met Batman’s eyes.

“Was it just me or was Ra’as being a little nicer to you than usual?”

“Ra’as is never nice,” Batman told him.

“He offered a place for me, Jason and Tim. It was usually only Cass he offers to let live. And then he went on and on about _true family_ , like he knows what that means.”

“It was just another effort to get me to help him,” Batman replied. Robin looked away not seeming so sure.

Ra’as Al Ghul had just died because of him and though he’d saved the world with Batman again it felt wrong. This all did. Something about what Ra’as had been saying had just felt wrong. As how had Talia refererred to Batman as one of the only _two men_ in the world she loved. But there was no time to talk about that now. Not while they had to worry about what had happened with the team while looking for Dr. Fate.

Wally didn’t answer his calls the next morning. Or the whole day after. But at Kent Nelson’s funeral two days later. All of the JSA and League were there. Many people Robin was familiar with and would have been happy to talk to at a different time but this was different. After everyone walked away Batman told him he had to talk to Artemis about a solo mission. Robin found Wally.

“You okay man?”

“I think. The whole mission messed with my mind. You know how I feel about magic,” Wally answered.

“Yeah and you know I don’t agree. It’s probably because of all my Romani traditions and the circus. But even Batman can realize magic exists. That isn’t the point though. I heard you were inside the Helmet.”

“Yeah,” Wally said. “Must have rewritten my brainwaves or something with neural transmitters. It was like having a mass hallucination. Especially like all the weird things he said.”

“Like what?” asked Robin.

But Wally was looking at Artemis, Green Arrow and Batman. “What’s going on with Artemis?”

“Oh, Bats said he had a small solo mission for her,” Robin said curiously. He looked at Wally who was wearing an expression he’d never seen on him before. He shook his head with a small grin, despite the circumstances. Oh Wally was in so much trouble. He looked back at Nelson’s grave. “You know I only met him once? Then Batman wouldn’t let me again.”

“Do you know why?”

Robin shook his head looking at Batman who was talking with Green Arrow and the Flash.

“Did Wally tell you about his experience inside the helmet?”

“Barely,” Flash said. “He keeps insisting with his beliefs in science instead of magic. But apparently he did promise Fate he’d find another person to be his host before he let Wally go.”

Batman stiffened. “Where is the helmet now?”

“At Mt. Justice,” Flash replied. “Wally took it as a souvenir.”

“Is something wrong Bruce?” Green Arrow asked.

“There’s a reason Robin wasn’t allowed on the mission yesterday. I haven’t allowed him near Fate since the first time he met Kent Nelson and the rest of the JSA,” Batman replied. “I haven’t told him the reason either.”

“What is it?” asked Flash.

“Fate is the helmet itself, a powerful entity by the name of Nabu. It chooses a host with a lot of potential mystical energy. The helmet reacted to Dick.”

“Dick?” Green Arrow asked surprised. “The kids not magical.”

“He doesn’t have the power on his own. He could have channeled it through Fate. He doesn’t have as much trouble believing in magic as a lot of others. It’s a large part of his culture, it’s how he grew up and what happened around him in the circus. Nelson was looking for a new host, he had been for a long time. He offered to train Dick.”

“So you wouldn’t let him anywhere near the kid or vice versa,” Green Arrow realized.

“And I’m not letting him near that helmet now. Maybe Wally told him what happened and he’ll be scared enough of it. But I think I might have to tell him anyway,” Bruce sighed. “This never gets any easier.”

“Parenting?” Flash said. “No it doesn’t. And I’ve only had Wally.”

Green Arrow looked towards Artemis who was talking with M’gann. “I just hope I do better with her than I did by Roy. How you manage four of them I don’t know.”

Bruce rolled his eyes in answer but Barry looked amused. “He has Batgirl too, remember? And Red Hood is just as much trouble as Roy or any of the other kids from what Wally tells me.”

“Your kid overexagerrates,” Batman said. “Robin, time to go.”

“Later dude,” he told Wally.

Together he and Batman walked away further into the graveyard and towards the Batmobile before Batman turned to talk to him. “There was a reason I didn’t allow you near Kent Nelson.”

Robin spun surprised. “What? I mean the guy id dead. It can’t be important anymore.”

Batman looked at him seriously drawing back the cowl. “I know you aren’t like Wally. You believe in magic. Then you have to know that that helmet is the most dangerous magic I know about, especially to you.”

“Why?”

Bruce started to explain leaving Dick shocked and surprised. He looked at Bruce seriously. “I’ll make sure never to put it on. There will be someone else to host it. And there’s no reason for me to be in Wally’s souvenir room anyway. I wouldn’t leave you and everyone else for that power. Fate can find someone else.”


	10. Team Only

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**August 26 th**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

Bruce had been called to work earlier than usual that morning. A unidentified package had arrived for him. The kids, having nothing to do, had all insisted on being brought along. Bruce had arrived at work with Dick, Cass, Jason, Tim and Barbara in tow. The latter had been at their house already for breakfast.

They stood at his side in are of the towering metal cylinder as Lucius stood by it with security guards. Lucius looked at Bruce amused. “The whole gang, huh?”

“We were bored,” Jason said. “What’s in the thing?”

**“Not sure. This arrived addressed to** Bruce **this morning. No return address.”**

Dick and Barbara exchanged glances but the younger three didn’t notice. Bruce stroked his chin and looked at Lucius. “ **Has it been scanned?”**

**“Of course. But it appears to be… mud. Nothing toxic, explosive or radioactive. Just mud…. Or perhaps clay.”**

Then the jar started to shake. Cass pulled Tim back and Barbara rolled out of the way to protect them as it exploded. Bruce had his arms on Jason and Dick’s shoulders blocking the thing as a giant monster creature of clay exploded from the jar. Bruce nodded at the kids as a giant stream of clay exploded from both the things arms sticking the guards to the wall.

Inside the building in the secret bunker under they all got into their costumes. Batman turned to the kids. “Don’t be seen but wait around the building.”

“What? Why can’t we fight?” Red Hood whined.

“You can,” Batman said. “But you can’t be seen.”

Back in the lobby Lucius was backing away as the creature advanced on him. He looked around. “ **Bruce we need to get you and** the children **out of here! Bruce?”**

There was no answer. But Batman and Robin came flying down only to be met by clay and smashed into the floor. They were outside now and the thing was advancing on cars groaning. Robin thought he was asking what had happened to him. It’s arm turned hard into a hammer as he pounded down on the front of the car. Batman was still down. Robin flipped onto the front of the car. “Hey!”

The thing tried to whack him but he was ready this time. He flipped out of the way taking off into a run. “You want me come and get me.”

The thing roared.

Robin pressed his comm. “I’m coming into the alley between the building. I’m about the corner behind it.”

“ _Good, cause I’m ready,_ ” Red Hood answered.

_“We are,”_ Batgirl corrected.

“Just be careful to stay out of it’s arms ways. You’ll get stuck. It’s made of clay.” He looked back to see it right behind him. Shooting his grappling hood he swung into the next corner. The thing turned too, roaring harder. Robin was backed against the wall. Then on the other side of the creature appeared Red Hood, Black Bat, Red Robin, and Batgirl.

Red Hood’s lenses widened along with Red Robin’s but Black Bat’s narrowed. Robin knew she was looking for weak points but this wasn’t like most of the things she had faced. It wasn’t like a human. He slid under the things legs as it tried to reach for him. Now they had _it_ cornered. “Batman, we have it surrounded with no way to go. What do we do?”

Batman appeared behind them. With one look Robin knew what to do. Soon the others had followed and all of them were dodging the things arms as they held the tasers in their utility belts. Red Hood and Red Robin were caught by one of the arms and stuck to the walls.

“C’mon!” Red Hood cried out. “I guess it’s just too scared to face me the fair way.”

“Stop,” Red Robin yelled at him as he managed to wiggle out of the clay. He cut Red Hood out too. “Let’s go help. Ready?”

Red Hood spat out some mud. “So ready.”

Meanwhile Batgirl and Black Bat were working together. Black Bat was confused that she couldn’t see it’s weak points but Batgirl said something and she nodded. Both pulled out a wire running along the sides of the creature with a little help from the walls. The wire ran through the things legs and it screamed as it fell off them. But a minute later it was reformed.

“Uh oh,” Batgirl said.

“Now,” Batman ordered. With Red Robin, Red Hood and Robin at his sides and Black Bat on the other side he pulled out the tasers. They all shot at the monster which roared flailing. Black Bat and Batgirl scrambled onto the roof to get out the way from it’s arms. Robin frowned. “ **Really though he’d be a little less _sheveled_ at this point.** ”

“Now isn’t the time for new words bird brain!” Red Hood yelled. The clay thing roared coming forward and punching the ground in front of him. Distracted Red Hood was stuck in the clay, so was Red Robin who had tried to jump but wasn’t able to jump high enough yet.

Robin and Batman flew over the things back where two more streams of clay erupted. Both were hit against the wall as the thing started to yell again. **_“Howww? Howww did thisssss haaapppen?”_**

It melted into the sewer and Black Bat and Batgirl jumped down in front of Batman and Robin. Batgirl helped Robin up and Black Bat looked at Batman curiously. He gave her a grunt and a nod assuring her he was fine. Red Hood looked at the rest of them. “What the hell was that thing?”

“Language,” Batman chided.

“I don’t know,” Batgirl said. “But I got a sample.”

Batman took the vial from her and put it in his utility belt. The other kids gathered some of the clay from around them too. Extra samples never hurt. Then Batman opened the entrance back to the bunker. “We’re going back to the cave.”

“What? Why?”

“We can help,” Red Robin agreed.

Black Bat nodded.

“You’ll help by cleaning yourselves up and getting help from Agent A,” Batman told them as he led them into the bunker and the Batmobile. “Once we drop you off Robin and I are leaving.”

“Why does Robin get to go then?”

“Because I’m dropping him off to rendezvous with the team.”

“Where?” Robin asked as he started the Batmobile’s systems. “We don’t know where that thing is.”

“The sewers,” Red Hood said dryly.

Robin gave him a look over the back of his seat in the front telling him to shut up.

“I actually think I know where it is,” Red Robin said meekly from where he was in between Batgirl, Black Bat and Red Hood. “I put a tracker in his clay. If he doesn’t shed it or something you might be able to find him. The signal might be a little messed up underground too.”

“Good job Baby bird,” Robin smiled at him.

“I still don’t get why we’re not doing this and the team is,” Red Hood said. “No metas in Gotham, remember?”

“Because I need to go back to work after I drop off Robin,” Batman replied. “And I refuse to let you fight that without me.”

“We’ll do what we can from the cave then,” Batgirl sighed. “Tim, want to help me analyze the samples? After we clean up of course.”

Tim brightened immediately. Batman nodded his thanks and turned to Jason as he pulled into the Batcave. “No sneaking out to help. I want you to work with Cass on her learning. Maybe then she can help you with training.”

Jason unbuckled with a grimace as he pulled off his mask. He stomped out slamming the door behind him. Cass and Tim got out of the other side. Then Barbara looked at Robin and Batman. “I’ll let you know when we know something.”

They watched her disappear towards the caves showers and changing rooms near the others after depositing the samples near the crime lab area. Robin and Batman drove away seconds later. They stopped back by Wayne Tech in the bunker under the building. “We’re not meeting with the team?”

“Not until you triangulate the symbol and I have work to do. Tell me when you’ve finished,” Batman said. He pulled off the costume and wiped the clay off his face changing back into his suit to finish the Wayne Foundation work for the day. Specifically making sure the scholarships to Gotham Academy went out. It was already passed one in the afternoon. Hours had gone by but this was necessary.

Back at the manor Barbara and Tim now in clean clothes were looking over the samples on a microscope with a laser. Jason sat with Cass on the floor. “It’s just not fair.”

“Jay we’re trying to work,” Barbara chided. “And you’re supposed to be working with Cass.”

“I am, or I was. She’s on the audiotape now. How about you and me go find that thing Barbie and the replacement can still do whatever it is he’s doing or help Cass.”

“Master Jason, what did we say about calling Master Tim that?” Alfred said as he hung up their newly cleaned costumes and climbed back upstairs.

“Not to,” Jason said unapologetically.

“And it doesn’t matter,” Barbara continued. “Because I’m going to continue my work here.”

“I just don’t get it,” Jason said. “If we couldn’t beat this thing and we had Bruce what chance do they have?”

“I don’t believe they’ll be fighting it. Just tracking it and finding it. Plus this is part of their job as a team. I don’t think they’ll be in Gotham much besides this. Bruce probably just doesn’t want us to get hurt until he knows how to take care of this thing,” Barbara reminded him.

“Well he’s stupid if he thinks Dick’s team won’t fight but just track the thing. Have you met Wally? And from what we’ve heard about Superboy that’s not happening.”

“Wally can hold himself back and if he doesn’t then Robin will. Aqualad is also very calm and level headed. He’ll stop them if Superboy and Wally do something stupid.”

Jason opened his mouth but was interrupted. “Barbara?”

“Yeah Timmy?”

“We should send a sample and ask for a check on magic,” he told her.

Barbara nodded turning back to Jason. “Do you and Cass mind working upstairs? We need to call Zatara.”

Jason grumbled as he tapped Cass’s shoulder. She pulled off her headphones and listened as he told her what was happening.

By the time Robin had found the signal and the creature it was already around eight. He commed Batman who came back down to the bunker and pulled on his still muddy costume. “Get in the Batmobile. What were Barbara and Tim able to find. They sent a sample to Zatara like you apparently told them but it’s not magical though they said there are traces of those elements. It’s some kind of morphic field.”

Batman nodded. “I’ll start looking at the disruption frequency then. You and the team aren’t to engage until I do.”

Robin nodded listening as he repeated the same instructions to the team. He jumped out of the Batmobile with a salute. Batman pulled away and the BioShip arrived seconds later as the team except Artemis climbed out. Robin remembered then that she was still here, nearby in her apartment or staying with Ollie and Dinah tonight preparing for her own mission tomorrow, undercover as a prisoner using her background to their advantage. He was the only one who knew that though. The rest of the team had clue, about that or about what they were getting into.


	11. His Children

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**August 27 th **

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

Robin knew this wasn’t going to be good. Once they were inside the sewers the tracking went wrong. They only found the creature just after four in the morning. When they’d immediately been found by that thing and gotten clobbered with no warning or anything and left on the side of the sewers it had been bad. M’gann had called the bioship to them.

They pulled on clean costumes, all except Superboy who didn’t have an extra stored. Standing in the main area now they were talking. Wally was complaining. Again. Robin really didn’t see why he and Jason hated each other when they were so much alike sometimes. **“Man, I need a shower, I mean what’s the point of putting on a clean costume when I’m not… fresh.”**

Robin held back a laugh at M’gann’s answer. “ **Oh, Wally. You’re always fresh.”**

**“At least you have a clean costume,”** Superboy grunted.

**“An old back-up! No stealth mode! It stinks!”**

Robin smirked at that. Who needed stealth mode? Not like it did much. He looked at Wally. **“Actually I think the stink is _you,_ freshness. But what about the creature? Batman wanted us to track it.”**

He’d lost the tracker and the signal in the fight. Now they were back at the beginning and he knew Barbara and Tim hadn’t been able to do anymore on it. Hopefully Bruce was working on a real solution now.

**Why settle for that? Okay, sure, it got the drop on us. But now we know it’s tricks!”**

Robin’s eyes widened. He’d fought this thing three times already. That wasn’t the solution. They needed to wait for Batman and follow his order until then. **“** I say that **we splitup! Then whoever finds old ‘Clayface’ radios the team.** But we have to—“

“ **Converge and kick some clay-butt!”** Superboy growled. Robin frowned. That wasn’t what he was going to say. He was going to suggest they stay hidden and observe just let the team know about the location. M’gann turned to Aqualad and asked what he thought. Aqualad agreed.

In the Batcave it was just before six AM. None of the kids were awake yet and Alfred was bringing Bruce another cup of coffee. “Have you found a solution for Master Dick and friends yet?”

“No. Barbara and Tim were right about the morphic field. Zatara told them it wasn’t magic but the morphic field is how it keeps it’s cohesion. I need to find the right frequency to disrupt it. Until then Aqualad will keep the team out of trouble. And I know Dick will do just as well. He knows to be careful fighting this thing.” Bruce turned back to his work having no way of knowing that the team was in fact going in and splitting up.

Robin knew this was going to be a bad idea he was sure of that as he walked into the sewers. The idea was reaffirmed when he ran into two Wally’s. This really wasn’t good.

Something beeped. Bruce pulled on his cowl adjusting his taser to the frequency which had just worked on several samples. Robin was unconscious. The team had run into trouble and Aqualad hadn’t stopped them. He drove as fast as he could to the other side of the Batmobile. And got to the top of a building flying through the warehouse roof before the creature could bring it’s hand down like a hammer on Aqualad. Two small bombs exploded as they fell on the creatures chest. It turned to slam down near Batman who dodged and pulled out the taser. The creature shook and collapsed leaving him with four unconscious teens, an exhausted Aqualad a mass of clay.

Slowly he turned to look at Aqualad. “Help me wake them. Then I’m taking you back to the Mountain.”

Slowly they were all revived. Robin opened his mouth to say something when he saw Batman but Batman turned away. He walked through the zeta tube and the kids followed. He looked at them all. “ **I need to talk to Aqualad. The rest of you hit the showers and head home.”**

**“Head home? I am home!”** Superboy gestured to the cave and stomped off. The others followed him to the showers.

Robin stayed looking at Batman. Batman looked at him for a second. **“Just Aqualad.”**

Robin looked at Kaldur who looked back at him. He lowered his eyes and stomped off leaving Batman and Aqualad alone. Batman didn’t seem to notice because he was focused on Kaldur.

“ **I am sorry you had to intervene. I know the team performed poorly.”**

**“The team performed adequately. The problem was you. You’re their leader, and you head wasn’t in the game.”**

**“No you are-“** Aqualad started to interrupt but sighed. **“Correct. Of late, I am not even convinced I belong on the surface world. For so many years it filled my every though. But now that I am here my dreams are all of Atlantis.”**

Batman looked at him seriously. He was dreading having this problem with Dick, he already had. This team was his responsibility, much like his own children and he needed to advise them as was necessary. **“Atlantis or someone you left behind? You can split your time between the surface and the sea. But not your mind. Either you’re here 100% or you need to walk away. Make a decisions Kaldur and make it soon.”**

Batman left and went back home sighing. He needed to wake the kids now, meaning Jason and make sure Dick got a few hours of sleep when he returned. He just hoped Aqualad made the right decision, though he would hate to lose the boy on the team.

For a few hours the house was absolutely quiet. Bruce was able to finish arranging things and cleaning up the incident yesterday in work. He knew Dick had arrived not soon after him and had fallen straight to sleep. He went to talk to Alfred when the front door opened.

“Oh, hi Bruce.”

Bruce turned to see Barbara. “Are you here to train? Did Cass need some more help?”

“No, none of that. Dick called me,” Barbara said suddenly before her face grew dark. “Later.”

She ran up the stairs and into Dick’s room where he was sitting on the bed looking at pictures. The one he was opened on was an especially cute pictures from a few months ago. He was in a Superman tank top and sweat pants and she could see his muscled arms. Tucked under one arm was his stuffed elephant Zitka. His other arm was around Jason’s shoulder. Jason had his batbear and was in a Green Lantern shirt with bat patterened pajama shorts. Cass and Tim were in front of them both, one in Wonder Woman holding a batdog the other in a Robin shirt with flash pants. Though there were blue beetle stickers too. The picture couldn’t have been from too long ago. Barbara’s best guess was right after they welcomed Cass to the family.

“Just Aqualad,” Dick muttered in a strangled voice. She was surprised to see tears on his cheeks.

“Dick?”

“Oh, hey Babs.”

“What’s wrong? Did you and the team get that thing?”

Dick shook his head. “We’re calling it Clayface. Wally proposed splitting up after it got to us once and Superboy and the others agreed. Then so did Aqualad. I was outvoted while I tried to remind them of Batman’s orders. He can become people too, he became two versions of KF and surrounded me. He probably did something similar to the others. Bruce had to come save us.”

Barbara frowned. Dick barely called Bruce by his first name anymore. Not very often at least. “Why are you calling him that?”

“Calling who what?”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

“Because I can’t call him my dad,” Dick said angrily. “Can I? Not like the others can!”

“Of course you can.”

“No,” Dick said. “I can’t. Not when he doesn’t think of me as a son. Let’s face it, I’m not as important to Bruce as anyone else.”

Barbara looked at him in shock then she looked at him with a strange expression. “Don’t you dare say that! Bruce loves you so much more that I’ve thought possible for the Batman. Dad says you changed his life. You’re the reason all the others are here, the reason I’m here too. So don’t you dare say that. Bruce loves you and I won’t except any answer for why you think this because there’s no good one.”

“Really?” Dick asked. “What about telling me I can’t stay? He wants to only talk to Aqualad. Or what about not saying I love you more than a few times, like when I’ve been kidnapped or nearly died? Or that I’m just his ward? I can legally be taken away from him by the state at any time, you know that right? He’s not my parent, at least not really.”

“Dick….”

“We took this picture after Cass was adopted,” Dick said. “Because he made sure to do that right away. The same with Tim and Jason. But he’s never once mentioned it to me. Tell me now that Bruce loves me, because he doesn’t.”

Barbara reached out to put her arm around his shoulder seeing he was crying now. He shoved it off and walked out of his room storming downstairs into the gym and where she knew the trapeze was. That’s where he always went to think, and to feel close to his first family. She tried opening the door but it was locked. “Dick! Dick! Open up!”

Dick climbed up to the trapeze and grabbed it letting the tears fly away behind him as he swung through the air, blocking out Barbara’s pleads and all the heartache. She collapsed against the door.

“What’s going on?” Jason asked her minutes later as she came into the kitchen as sat down. “I heard you yelling Dick’s name. And not for the reason I ever thought you’d be.”

Barbara glared at him. She didn’t appreciate that joke. “I was trying to get him to open the door to the gym. I waited outside for a half hour.”

“So he’s brooding,” Jason noted. “Why would golden boy ever need to brood? He got his mission and his team and everything he wants.”

“Dick’s not like that Jason.”

Cass pulled a cookie and handed half to Barbara making some quick signs. “ _Scared and hurt.”_

“What’s he scared about?” Tim asked curiously. “Dick isn’t scared of anything, like Bruce. Or at least not most things. Only stuff like bad guys and fear gas.”

“He’s scared of something else. The team had to be rescued by Bruce and then he wouldn’t let Dick talk with him and Aqualad. He’s upset. Really upset. He thinks Bruce doesn’t trust him or care about him.”

“What?” Jason squawked. “But Dickie Bird is the favorite! He’s the original! THe golden boy, the League’s protégée!”

“But he’s not Bruce’s son.”

“But he’s my brother! And he’s our dad! Dick always says that,” Tim said worriedly.

“Not officially though. You guys are all adopted, all of you. Cassandara Cain-Wayne, Jason Todd-Wayne, Timothy Drake-Wayne. He’s just Dick Grayson.”

“That’s ridiculous! Just because it’s not official doesn’t mean he’s not part of our family!” Jason scoffed.

“I know that and Dick does too. He just need a reminder.”

“Let’s go in and show him then!”

“The doors locked,” Tim reminded him. “And it’s unpickable.”

Cass shook her head sadly agreeing they couldn’t get in.

“We’ll just wait for him then,” Barbara said. “I’ll stay until then.”

_“Help him,”_ Cass told Barbara.

“She’s right,” Tim said. “We need to do something to cheer him up when he’s ready.”

“Not tonight,” Alfred said coming in. “It’s time for bed and baths for Cassandra and Tim.”

“Don’t worry,” Barbara told them. “We’ll take care of him. C’mon Jay.”

She and Jason went back to the gym where the door was wide open. There was a new dent in the wall and no sign of Dick. Barbara looked at Jason. “Where is he?”

Jason looked around and nudged Barbara. She turned to see something through the window. Dick was catching a basketball surprised that was thrown at him by Bruce. His face was stretching into a grin.

Barbara smiled. “I guess that’s taken care of. I can go home now before Dad kills me.”

Jason nodded still watching. He knew this whole thing had been ridiculous. Bruce loved Dick and all of them. Dick saw him from outside smiling and gestured for him to come out. Jason walked out.

“Come on. It’s hand-eye coordination, training!”

Jason grinned. “Thin you could beat us old man?”

“I know it,” Bruce told them grabbing the ball as the two boys ran after him.

Moments later Tim, Cassandra and Alfred came out. “I thought bed time could wait for a while.”

“Help us beat Dad!” Dick shouted to them.

Bruce shook his head. “Are all of my kids teaming up against me now?”

“Training,” Dick said. “Right?”

Bruce laughed as he took the shot and Tim caught it. He looked around surprised and threw it to Cass. She caught it deftly and dodged capture from Bruce in a massive bear hug letting Dick shoot the basket with a flying leap. He fist pumped scoring and catching the ball. Bruce tried to catch it but Jason took off. He grabbed his son instead and soon Dick was in the other arm. Then Cass and Tim jumped on his back sending him back on the ground. He was under all four of his kids laughing as he put his arms around them. Dick laughed everything forgotten. This was his family.


	12. Chapter 12

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**September 22 nd **

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

****

Cass watched wide eyed as her brothers raced around the house. All of them were trying to find their books, their ties, uniforms and other supplies. Alfred was lying out breakfast in between the intervals of him being called for help. He was trying to stop Dick from ruining his uniform by sliding down the stairs right now and wrinkling it. Bruce was sighing as he dragged Tim away from a project and kept him from reaching his own coffee while he took a large sip himself.

Jason was a task the two of them had to take together. Alfred gave Bruce the tie and jacket as he wrestled Jason into it. Soon enough all three boys were at the breakfast table where Jason was pulling at his tie as he ate his toast, Dick was wriggling around getting cereal and milk dripping down his tie and Tim was still asking to try some coffee as he ate his food. Cass hoped school didn’t make her that crazy. Bruce said she was going so fast she might be able to start next year if she wanted.

“Master Jason, please stop tugging at your tie.” Alfred was setting down more toast and giving Bruce more coffee as he started on his own tea.

“Ugh,” Jason groaned rolling his eyes.

Bruce looked at him pointedly and he stopped. He looked at Alfred for a moment. “Thank you Alfred. Dick, your hair.”

Dick sighed and Alfred handed him a tube of gel. “I hate doing this.”

“Secret ID.”

“It’s still a pain,” Dick grabbed the tube and started to gel his hair back in the mirror hallway.

“This is why I wear a hood,” Jason stuck out his tongue at Dick.

“Your also not under the camera’s views at all times,” Bruce told him. “Dick’s oldest. The magazines have had the best chance with him on photos, I’ve learnt more after all the pictures they’ve gotten of him. You three have much less to be worried about. Robin’s also on the news all the time. Unlike Black Bat, Red Hood and Red Robin for now.”

“Why do you have to make everything boring?” Jason complained as his food was taken away. He looked across to his sister. “You’re lucky Cass. You don’t have to endure the torture that is Gotham Academy. Every one there sucks. It’s the worst. And I haven’t learnt anything.”

“You know that isn’t true Master Jason,” Alfred said to him. Meanwhile Tim hugged Cass goodbye followed by Dick doing the same as Tim hugged Bruce. Then Bruce patted Jason and Dick on the backs wishing them good luck. Then the three boys followed Alfred into the car to pick up Barbara. Bruce sighed not sure he was happy or sad the boys were at school again. The house would be a lot less crowded and noisy at least. He finished his coffee and turned to Cass.

“Well that leaves us. Would you like to come with me to work today?” Cass’s smile made Bruce give a rare smile himself. He nodded as he got up. “Go get some books, toys and your headphones. All the books are downloaded?”

She nodded as she ran off coming back downstairs with a bag a few minutes later. Bruce took a breath. Hopefully he’d be able to keep the peace and quiet for a little bit. Arkham was closed up. Joker actually being subdued for once. His monitors hadn’t picked anything up and all the Team had coming was training later.

Before first class Dick stood with Barbara in the courtyard looking around. There were new faces as always, freshman, transfers like the one pulling down her skirt a few feet away. Barbara followed his gaze. “You wouldn’t.”

He pulled out his phone and smirked. “Be right back.”

He arrived next to her right after Bette putting an arm around her and grinning as he took a picture. _“We’ll laugh about this someday.”_

She blinked the flash out of his eyes as he got back to Barbara. She looked at him then Artemis pointedly. _“Dick, what was that about?”_

_“Nothing. Just being friendly to the new girl.”_

She rolled her eyes and he knew she took his double meaning. The bell rang then and they ran off to class with sighs. It would never get much better here. The scholarship student and charity case. Freaks. At least there was a new freak here now, one they could troll to their hearts content, that was as long as Batman didn’t find out.

Sophmore year was much the same as Freshmen. Both did their work and talked with old ‘friends,’ though neither talked to Bette. She was upset at Dick right now for “reasons.” That was probably for the best considering she was showing Artemis around right now. They’d eaten lunch in their usual spot, did their work together in between classes as they compared schedules before finishing for the rest of the day. Alfred picked them up, dropping Barbara off as Tim continued to talk excitedly about his day at school and Jason made fun of each comment. Dick just looked at his watch.

They’d eaten dinner while Bruce asked about all of their days at school, then as a treat all of them were allowed an the first hour of patrol before Robin headed his separate ways to the zeta tube to see Artemis entering. The zeta tube was an out of order police box, a joke Alfred had come up with, Bruce hadn’t argued. Alfred still loved his british television and all of the Bats did too. Dick and Wally could spend hours discussing Dr. Who and theoretics behind time travel. Now though Robin’s attention was on Artemis as he dropped down beside her suprising her.

“ _Artemis?”_ he asked her putting on a not-so-casual voice.

“ _Robin! I-uh-I—”_

_“How random that you’re in gotham city,”_ he said stepping closer. “ _Instead of Star City where your Uncle Green Arrow lives.”_

_“I’m here to see my cousin,”_ Artemis answered. “ _She was in the state spelling bee, here in Gotham City.”_

Robin was laughing inside but kept a straight face. Artemis _was_ the ‘cousin’ that lived in Gotham city. Though he wasn’t sure she was as good as spelling as she was boasting. He grinned wider deciding to test her.

_“C-o-o-l. Did she w-i-n?”_

Artemis was catching on to the tone he was using now. She narrowed her eyes and he chuckled a little. “ _N-O.”_

_“D-R-A-G.”_

He was so upset no one was here to see this. Artemis had had enough now, he could continue trolling her later at school or in the cave. He couldn’t let her know he knew or blow any of his cover. So when she said they should just go to the cave he conceded taking a little bow and gesturing for her to go inside. “ _Ladies first.”_

_“Your town. You go.”_

He shrugged knowing how well this was her town too. He entered the zeta beam as the usual tingling sensation and burst of light overtook him. Next he knew he was in the cave, shot of fire being lobbed at him in a smoky room. This wasn’t training. This was being compromised. An attack. He heard Artemis’s name announced as she appeared then and he flipped backwards pushing her out of the way and yelling for her to get down. Another flip and he was crouched next to her. He threw two birdarangs as another burst of fire came at them.

Both of them jumped out of the way in opposite directions. Artemis started loading arrows and Robin pulled out more birdarangs both of them aiming blindly in the smoke. More fire. They dodged different directions again.

Artemis shot one arrow after the other. _“Who are we fighting?”_

_“I don’t know but we’re sitting ducks by these tubes. Head for the exit.”_ Years of experience kicked in as he ran and Artemis followed. Then a wave of fire followed by water came at them. “ _Or not.”_

Both of them were swept away by the water and smacked against the wall. Robin took a deep breath as he stood up and shook some of the water off. Another ball of fire came at them then and he took off running again hoping Artemis would follow.

She did. Grabbing the bow from the floor and shooting to where the balls of fire were coming from. She dodged them one after the other then ran when a tornado of fire erupted following Robin into the gym as he tried to reach Aqualad. Then the door burst open the tornado of fire following them in. They raced into the locker rooms, then the showers.

Robin made a desperate attempt hoping Bruce, Alfred, Barbara, Jason, Tim, anyone was listening. “ _Robin to Batcave. Override RG4. Team Calling Justice League.”_

He used all the codes that had been drilled into his mind since the age of seven and a half as he started to turn on the water and Artemis followed hoping to stop the fire. _“Code red.”_

There was no answer. Their comms must have been blocked. Robin and Artemis were alone and who knows where the rest of the team were. He just had to hope.

“ _Comms must be blocked. At least the waters helping.”_ Then the showers burst and both of them were swimming around helplessly. He took a deep breath, why did he keep jinxing himself. “ _Or not.”_

_Think._ Outside was an inferno twister, here they were being drowned. He swam forward and put a birdarang on the wall arming it and swimming backwards, pushing Artemis back. The wall burst and the water flooded out with Artemis and Robin with it. They took off running again.

It was a game of hide and seek. They needed to stay ahead, stay smart, not be caught. He wasn’t scared of much but now he was scared of being found. As they ran toward the kitchen he turned to her. “ _We need to get lost.”_

_“The air vents.”_

_“Good. Go!”_

He doesn’t even realize he’s thinking now. He just does. It’s years of experience as he goes to the control panel and Artemis hops onto the oven and pulls off the vent’s opening. This was his life and this was how he had survived for years and years. Thinking. Doing. He was Robin. The Boy Wonder.

_“What are you—”_

_“Downloading the cave blueprints. Could come in…Go. Go!”_ His voice turned into a whisper as he leapt after Artemis climbing into the air vents. His hair was in his eyes dripping still. He looked at the cave specs through the drops. “ _Go left.”_

As they turned another jet of fire erupted. He took a deep breath. “ _Too close. Take the first right. There should be a vent cover right in front of you.”_

He stayed calm. He was in control, no matter how scared he was. It was his job as Batman’s partner, as Robin and as an older brother. It was his job as the first kid hero, the next in line for team leader, the person Artemis was depending on. There was one thing he’d sworn to always do in his life if he could. To catch people if they were falling. To help them. He’d always be there to catch people in need.

As his thought raced Artemis pulled the vent cover off and slid down. He followed into the boiler room/bunker and pulled up the specs on his holo-glove again. _“This way.”_

He led her down the stairs and towards the boilers when a blazing fire erupted with a women’s sillohuette in the middle. They both stared for a moment in shock then ran again as fire covered the ceiling and the boilers around the room started to beep. Pipes exploded and gas burst everywhere.

_“That’s not good.”_ He led Artemis running. They took cover just before another fireball hit. Behind another boiler he showed Artemis the specs. “ _I know that other access tunnel is here somewhere.”_

_“You mean this one?”_

He’d use to know these tunnels like the back of his own hand. They were his favorite hiding spots for games with Wally and Roy before the mountain had first been compromised. Those vents were familiar. Safe. Like he’d always thought the mountain had been. It wasn’t now. Artemis jumped into the access tunnel and he followed again, though not before placing a birdarang on the boiler he was standing by giving it a detonation time.

Both of them fell onto the floor of the vents under the mountain. He stopped for a second with a thought. _“Hold on.”_

He pried open one of the wiring panels and plugged his glove in. _“Locking out cave’s motion and heat sensors to prevent the enemy from tracking us.”_

_“And I ask again. Who is the enemy?”_

Robin could only smirk at her. She was scared, upset, unexperienced. She hadn’t been trained like him, not by the Batman. She was under pressure and unsure of her place on the team and now she was in danger of death, this time not just from her father.

_“Let’s find out.”_ Clicking away at his keyboard he pulled up the different cameras around the cave. “ _Downloading cave security footage. There.”_

Together they watched the footage of Aqualad talking to their other teammates in the cave as Wally worked on Superboy’s bike. Robin felt something pull at the back of his mind at Aqualad’s tone as he asked a suspicious question but he could save that for later. Now there were more important things at hand.

When Aqualad asked the same question about Artemis maintaining her loyalties Robin felt her stiffen. Her eyes were narrowed. But he had to smirk as Wally defended her, though he insulted her at the same time. Way to stay in denial dude.

Then the camera footage blasted out. He wanted to yell and cry and just take a breath but he didn’t have the time too. Artemis was already turning to him. “ _What happened?”_

_“Explosion took out the camera. I’ll find another angle.”_ His fingers moved fast pulling up the different footage as it all played at once on his glove. He watched his teammates get attacked by water over and over again. Then all the cameras stopped. _“They’re dead. All four are dead.”_

Artemis looked at him nervously holding back a gasp. He was quick to assure her. “ _The cameras. I meant the cameras. I’m sure the others are okay. Just give me a second to find the fastest route to the hangar.”_

Stay calm. He had to stay calm. Artemis was panicking, thinking things he’d thought plenty of times, that was until Batman had showed him what he could do. She collapsed against the wall. _“Yeah. They’re fine. They’ve all got superpowers. They can handle anything.”_

Robin didn’t answer, hoping his friends powers were keeping them alive and lead Artemis to the vents above the library. They jumped down into the room. _“There’s a secret passage behind one of these book cases.”_

_“Seriously, cliché much?”_

He had to laugh then besides the direness of the situation. Nothing was more cliché than the grandfather clock, cave full of bats with dinosaur robots and other stuff. “ _You should see the Batcave.”_

Together they walked through the library carefully. Then something slid open and he turned. Artemis snapped open her bow and he pulled out more birdarangs. They turned warily running and hiding behind one of the bookcases. Waiting and listening as something clunked.

_“Artemis. Robin.”_

_“It’s Red Tornado,”_ Artemis cried in relief going out to greet him.

Robin tried to pull her back knowing to always be more wary. But he followed her to grab her instead. “ _Yes on the Red. No on the Tornado.”_

He jumped as the robot grabbed for her pushing her down and rolling under a table which was then crushed as they crawled away from it. They were met by another robot, in the shape of a woman who shot fire at them. Robin leapt over a bookcase jumping onto the next as Artemis followed. _“What are they?”_

More fire exploded around them setting off the sprinklers. Robin leapt onto the ground again as Artemis shot at the robots. By her reaction the robots managed to block it. Then there was a crash followed by a series of thuds. Artemis leapt down beside him as he pulled the book down and opened the passageway right before the bookshelf fell on them.

They raced into the tunnel him before her as she yelled. _“Did you know Tornado had siblings?”_

_“No.”_

_“So now what? Red Tornado is one of the power houses of the league. How are we supposed to take down two of him?”_

Robin looked at her. He wanted to reassure her by telling her he’d taken down the majority of the league, but he couldn’t. He pulled her around the corner and gave her a look. “ _They do seem pretty user unfriendly.”_

_“Don’t joke. They-“_

She was interrupted and not by him saying that the best way to relieve stress was to joke. The voice of the male robot came over the cave’s intercoms. _“Attention Robin. Attention Artemis. You have exactly ten minutes to surrender or the lives of your teammates will be extinguished.”_

They both exchanged glances.

_“Nine minutes and forty five seconds.”_

They ran through the tunnels. Robin stopped as he heard the voice again. _“Eight minutes.”_

_“We can access the hangar through here.”_ Just as he finished speaking water came rushing at them. _“Or not.”_

“ _Will you please stop saying that?”_ Artemis shrieked as they broke into a run again. They were over taken by the wave and swam around in the water.

Robin pulled out his re-breather and shared it with Artemis. Just as she took a breath she was pulled backwards by the male robot. Her arrows flew out of her quiver and the re-breather out of her mouth. Robin swam forward as she pounded at the robot. He stabbed an arrow through it’s head and swam away pulling Artemis with him.

He shot a grappling line still holding onto her leaving a series of birdarangs behind as he did. They exploded by the robot and he and Artemis managed to get to the hanger and to air taking gasping breaths.

_“Look out!”_ Wally’s voice warned them just in time to dodge a fireball. THe female robot was flying over them. They swam under water to Wally and Superboy who were trapped in something as the water rose.

_“You guys okay?”_ Robin said as he surfaced.

_“Forget us. Help M’gann!”_

_“Aqualad. Is she—”_

Robin couldn’t help but think how nice it was for Superboy and Artemis to forget Aqualad was also dying of the heat. Kaldur was strong and calm as he answered, as a leader should be. _“She’s unconscious. I fear she… we cannot survive much longer.”_

The girl robot flew in an inferno towards them blasting fireballs at Robin and Artemis who surfaced by the hangar stairs only to be confronted by the male robot with it’s eye short circuiting. Artemis pulled out her bow. The female robot landed at the top of the steps and Artemis turned to him scared. _“I’m almost out of arrows.”_

_“Distract her. Now!”_

A smoke bomb arrow was shot. But the robot came right through it. Robin threw birdarangs at the other robot and one landed right by Wally. The infuriated robot raised his hands and water came streaming towards Robin who dove out of the way with Artemis just as water met fire.

They swam into a another vent and up gasping for breath. His cape was gone now. It had been a drag in the water. Both caught their breaths as another announcement was made.

_“Six minutes.”_

_“What do we do now?”_

_“We save them. That’s how it works,”_ Robin answered her determinedly. He didn’t want to think of the other option.

_“Maybe that’s how it’s supposed to work but those robots already took out our four superpowered friends.”_

_“You seem distraught.”_

_“Distraught? M’gann’s dying! We have no powers and I’m down to my last arrow. Of course I’m distraught!”_

Robin had enough. He had been calm and collected through this whole thing. Though this was as close to death as he came when facing Gotham’s rogues. There was a large chance he wasn’t making it out of there. He knew that was a possibility most of his life. He’d had a will prepared for the last two years with goodbye letters for everyone that he updated when he felt it necessary. He knew what he’d gotten into, in through death and out through death. But Artemis didn’t seem to have realized.

_“Well get traught or get dead!”_

_“How can you be so calm?”_ she asked sheathing her last arrow as he started crawling down the vent.

_“Practice. I’ve been doing this since I was nine.”_ Seven or so actually. She didn’t need to know that. Only the public version. And he needed to stay calm so she did.

_“What good is that now? What chance do we have against unrelenting machines?”_

How could he have been so stupid. Of course. It had been there all along. _“Ugh. Duh! They’re machines. And one electromagnetic pulse will shut down any machine within range.”_

_“Great. Except you better have one EMP emitter in your utility belt. Because I know I don’t have one in my quiver.”_

He didn’t. It wasn’t something he carried around at all times. He needed to talk to Bruce about that. And probably work on that for Artemis too. _When_ they got through this. _“Fresh out. But I’m betting we can make one.”_

He pressed his comm. “ _What do you say KF? Doable?”_

_“Totally doable.”_

_“Five minutes.”_

_“You know. If you had more time.”_


	13. Who Can You Trust?

Robin pushed open a panel and crawled through. Listening to KF’s directions as he stood up and looked around. Artemis was right behind him. Wally’s voice came over the comms and Birdarang he had left. _“Medlab. X-ray machine. You’ll find a small vacuum tube called a vercator. Converts high energy pulses. Change the units microwave conversions from x-rays to EMPs with a cascading energy vector directed outward.”_

Robin followed his instructions using his hologlove on the machinery. He pulled out the tube. _“A ripple affect. Like dropping a stone in a pond.”_

He loved talking with Wally for this reason. Their brains worked on the same wavelength. They could talk science or anything together. Wally answered as Robin pulled up more on his glove. _“A stone with ten to the twelfth power wattage. Yeah.”_

_“So I’ll need to hook it up to the cave’s main generator.”_

_“Which is where?”_

As she asked Robin took a breath. He knew what he was doing now. He just hoped he made it. In his head as they made their way back to the hangar he said silent goodbyes to his family and team. To all his friends and the in between. He looked back at Artemis who he was sure could be a really great friend if they had the chance. Then he trudged onward.

_“Four minutes.”_

Robin opened a panel and jumped down as Artemis followed. They looked to the two robots standing guard over their teammates. He held his hand to his comm. “ _Okay. Make with the distraction.”_

Down below he heard Wally start yelling and almost wanted to roll his eyes. Really? That was his best? _“Hey, red tomato. Who’s your girlfriend? Red onion?”_

Connor joined with his terrible taunts. “ _Yeah. By the way, worst death trap ever. We can escape anytime we want.”_

_“I can vibrate my molecules out of here before your binary brains can count to two.”_

As Wally spoke Artemis and Robin ran across the hangar entrance before hiding again. He turned to Artemis hopefully. This was it. “ _Cover me.”_

He placed a line on the top of the mountain grabbing the EMP and swinging down to the generator as Connor’s voice echoed below. _“And you can’t drown a kryptonian dumbbots. We don’t breathe air!”_

Robin plugged in the EMP. _“Rerouting power now.”_

As he did so Wally laughed. _“And Miss Martian? I can’t believe your buying her act.”_

Connor finished. “ _Do you know how hot it gets in the caves of Mars?”_

Robin looked at his glove and bit back the urge to curse. “ _It’s not working.”_

Connor was still talking. “ _The cage is just making her homesick.”_

_“Duh!”_ Wally laughed.

Robin looked at the specs again realizing the solution. Too bad he was out of birdarangs or anything that could help. _“THe circuits incompleted. I need something conductible. A piece of metal—”_

_“Robin look out!”_ Artemis’s voice came as he searched his utility belt.

He was knocked back against the generator by a crashing wave and lost all stream of thought except one. Hold breath. Then his head hit the metal and his mouth burst open and everything went black.

The next he heard was the tornadoes announcing there was one minute left. They had dropped him from their pipe of water and he lay silent and unmoving holding back the wretching coughs that shook his body. _Play dead. Play silent and still. You’re not a threat so you’re much more of a threat._

He didn’t need to worry though. Artemis came in saying she was surrendering and he almost got up and yelled but that would ruin any chance of survival. Instead he heard her hit metal and felt the EMP blast. Then when Artemis laid her fingers on his throat and a hand on his head checking his pulse he coughed and the water spurted out of his mouth.

_“He’s breathing too!”_ she yelled in delight.

He turned to her weakly not wanting to admit he’d had to stop holding his breath after a few minutes. Instead he looked at her and smirked. _“Way to get traught.”_

She fell back and sighed in relief. Soon enough he was able to get up, she did too and though M’gann still needed to lean on Kaldur they were all able to make their way over to Wally and Connor. Artemis had found something to cut them out but it wasn’t working because the EMP had shorted it out too.

Robin was talking to his teammates. _“Figured my only shot was to ‘surrender’ pretend to drown before I actually did. Blacked out though.”_

He could hold his breath for longer than he’d been in that water. He’d hit his head and been unable to take any breath at all before he went under. If he had he could have lasted for nearly six or seven minutes. After years of training with Aquaman and Batman he could hold his breath easily, when he was aware of it.

Then after some small talk and bickering Red Tornado had arrived saying he’d realized that cave communications were down and couldn’t get through the zeta tubes. He’d had to go to Providence, Rhode Island first to reach here. Then the machine Artemis was holding went on as Sphere nudged Superboy.

Wally exchanged looks with Robin. They both looked towards all three reds shouting. _“The pulse has worn off!”_

Red Tornado’s eyes turned red as his siblings stood up. He started to make a twister in the middle of the room and Robin was clutching his throat again trying to understand what was happening. This was RT. He was a leaguer! Then he blacked out again gasping for breath and unable to wake up.

____________________________

Bruce was concerned. Dick hadn’t come back yet. It was reaching twelve and by then at least he usually checked in or said he was staying at the cave for the night. He’d just returned the other kids to the Batcave and was about to go out again but stopped for a moment reaching for his comm. **_“Batman to Robin. Batman to Robin.”_**

There was no answer. He tried something else. **_“Batman to Aqualad? Batman to Kid Flash. Batman to team? Batman to Mount Justice. Mount Justice? Batman_** _to Red Tornado. Red Tornado.”_

Still no answer. He was getting upset now and even more nervous. _“ **Batman to Watchtower.”**_

**_“Watchtower: Martian Manhunter to Batman.”_ **

**_“Have you heard from Mt. Justice tonight?”_ **

There was a moment of silence. **_“Red Tornado was here filling in on monitor duty before leaving. I took over for him. I shall check in on goings on at the mountain.”_**

Batman was even worse now. He was going through his belt, checking Robin’s tracker and fidgeting with a batarang as he waited near the zeta tube. Martian Manhunter’s voice crackled over the comm. “ ** _Cave communications seem to be down. As do the Zeta tubes. Red Tornado’s codes were in Providence. He must have gone to check on the team.”_**

**_“J’onn…. Red Tornado… I’ll be in Providence soon.”_ **

**_“I shall contact the rest of the mentors and meet you there,_** ” Martian Manhunter’s voice went away with a crackle.

Batman put in the coordinates to Providence and went through taking a moment to leave a note for Alfred who would be back down to run comms soon after making sure all the children were asleep. As soon as he arrived through the Zeta tube a wind knocked him over. Flash was standing there.

“They’re not answering.”

“We don’t know what happened to them,” Batman said. “Robin’s tracker is offline too and there’s no answer from Red Tornado.”

The zeta tube went off again as Superman arrived with Captain Atom. “What’s happening?”

“The team’s comms are down and Red Tornado isn’t answering either. Robin’s gone silent and none of our other modes of communications are on,” Batman said.

“And I don’t think it’s just Batparanoia this time,” Flash agreed as Aquaman and Martian Manhunter came through. “Wally’s not answering either. We were supposed to go out for food after he was with the team.”

“Red Tornado left very suddenly,” Martian Manhunter agreed. “It is worth investigating. Especially if the team was in danger.”

“Why was Tornado on monitor duty?” Superman demanded. “He’s not supposed to be on it since he became the team’s den Mother.”

Green Arrow and Black Canary arrived just then. Her hair was a bit ruffled and his costume was messed up. Batman turned on him. “Weren’t you supposed to be on monitor duty tonight?”

“Yes, I asked Red to fill in as a favor. What’s up?”

As it was explained Green Arrow paled. “We need to get to the mountain. It was her first day of school today. She wasn’t looking forward to it but it made her mom happy. And Artemis is a good kid doing that. I’m not screwing up with her. Not like I did with—”

“You didn’t screw him up,” Flash insisted. “The kid just needs time. He’ll come back eventually. Now let’s all focus at the current situation though. Mind if I run you Dinah?”

“I’m with Atom then,” Arrow said as he gave Flash a warning look. Atom took off with Arrow in tow as Aquaman dove back into the water to meet them in Happy Harbor.

Superman looked at Batman. “Ready?”

“Take me to my son.”

They arrived at the mountain just a few minutes later. The doors wouldn’t open no matter the codes they used. It took the combined forces of all the Leaguers there to get through. They looked around as they walked in near the zeta-tubes. Broken arrows and torched bird-a-rangs were scattered in drying pools of water.

Batman analyzed them both for a second. “They were attacked. Artemis and Robin must have been the last to arrive here. They were the last to end school.”

“Where are they then?” Black Canary asked as Green Arrow held an arrow gingerly and looking around for a sign of his new protégée.

“Robin’s tracker is still offline. All the motion and heat sensors are off. It will take me a few minutes to turn them back on,” Batman grimaced more than usual and as unusual as it was he looked to the others pleadingly.

“I cannot reach M’gann either,” J’onn said grimly. “Though I could try to locate her.”

Before he finished Flash had dashed off. Then his voice came over the comms. “ ** _They’re all in the hangar. Come. Now.”_**

Everyone was running to the hangar without another word. Though Batman noted all the opened air ducts and water and scorch marks. The vents were Dick’s strategic retreat whenever possible. He’d tried to hide, to make a plan. Bruce hoped it worked.

The others joined Flash in the hangar and Green Arrow whistled. “This must’ve been one fight.”

Then he noticed what Flash was looking at. The team were sprawled out in various positions on the floor. Wally and Connor were encased in a strange metallic gray gluish substance and Artemis was passed out on her side. M’gann was right near Kaldur and Robin close to Artemis yet farthest from them all.

Batman immediately went over to his protégée. He jumped down into the Hangar and growled as he noticed Robin’s soaked uniform and the missing cape. He wrapped Robin in his own cape trying to share the body warmth as he checked his pulse and breathing. It was strangled and off. He administered CPR once. “Atom! Oxygen!”

A few moments later the boy wonder was in an oxygen mask but the others were waking up. Flash was supporting his nephew who looked at him surprised. “Uncal Barry?”

“It’s me kid.”

Nearby M’gann and J’onn seemed to be having a telepathic communication. Superboy was cut out by Black Canary who helped him and asked how he was doing trying to help him but also gave the boy space. Green Arrow and Superman were trying and failing to wake Artemis up. Aqualad was standing now drenched in water and looking better than the rest now.

Batman turned to him. “You’re team leader. Report. What happened? Why is Robin oxygen deprived and Artemis still unconscious?”

“Robin probably still wasn’t completely recovered from drowning when Red Tornado stole our breath. Literally,” Wally said. “Do we have food?”

“What?” Barry yelled looking at him. “What’re you talking about?”

“We’ll get you some food Wally. Then you can all tell us everything,” Black Canary soothed.

Batman turned back to the team. “What happened?”

“We were attacked and captured, therefore not present for most of it,” Aqualad answered. “Artemis and Robin may be better suited to answer.”

“Tell us what you know then,” Captain Atom told the team.

“We were here working on Connor’s bike and talking when some robots appeared. Kaldur and I were trapped by one in a cage of fire and Wally and Connor in that stuff. I don’t remember much after that,” M’gann told them.

“That is fine. Just rest M’gann. You need to regain your strength.”

“They almost killed her!” Connor yelped at where M’gann was standing near Martian Manhunter.

“I’m fine now Connor. You and Wally almost drowned,” she said.

“We didn’t though. Not like Robin,” Wally said looking at Batman. “How is he?”

“He’ll live. The whole story though. No—” Batman was cut off by Robin’s coughing. He helped Robin sit off and take off the mask where he coughed again.

“Baman?”

“Yes.”

“You get Tornado?”

“Tornado?” Batman asked.

Robin sat up still in Batman’s cape standing up a bit wobbly. “Yeah. He’s got some nerve. I thought going back to school was torture enough.”

Batman sighed in relief. That was a genuine joke, not a defensive one. Dick would be fine. He looked over the rest of the team. Superman was still near Artemis attempting to waker her up. “Artemis? Artemis! Can you hear me?”

“Ugh!”

“She’s alright.”

Superman helped her up. Miss Martina was still on the floor where her Uncle was looking after her. Aquaman had his hands on his protégées shoulders and they were talking seriously. Captain Atom was trying to get Superboy out with Black Canary’s help and Flash was doing the same to Wally nearby. Green Arrow walked over letting Artemis lean on him instead of Superman.

Superman looked at her. Robin still wasn’t able to talk. “ _What happened here?”_

_“What happened? The reds happened! Tornado and his…. Wait! Where are they?”_

Robin stood up shakily rasping. _“Gone. All three of them. Gone.”_

Batman caught him as he fell and tucked him back into his cape looking around at the team. “What happened? Now!”

In the next few minutes with broken pieces and small comments from the team the story was assembled. Robin explained what he could. Batman looked at him whenever he opened his mouth. Together in only the way they could both of them spoke.

_‘Stop trying to speak.’_

_‘I’m fine.’_

_‘You were almost killed from lack of oxygen. Twice. Within an hour.’_

_‘Fine now though.’_

_‘Not until I say you are. You need to be checked over.’_

_‘I need to catch the Reds!’_

_‘You’re not moving. I’ve already alerted Alfred.’_

_‘No school at least?’_

_‘We’ll see what’s happening then.’_

By the time the story was finished Green Arrow was about to go over Red Tornado and Batman was close behind but Black Canary and Flash managed to talk them down. They invested themselves in making sure their protégées were okay. Superman and Captain Atom organized other leaguers coming to help repair the mountain.

A little past 1:30 in the morning satisfied Robin was well Batman let Robin walk to his room, or at least walk with support as he was commanded to go to his room to rest. The other teens were also sent to bed as their mentors talked. Batman lingered in Robin’s room for a little bit closing the door and pulling off the cowl.

“Dad?”

“I almost lost you tonight Dickie.”

“I’m not a little kid anymore. Not Dickie.”

Bruce sighed. His son had demanded they stop calling him that last year. He’d never stop. “You’re always the same kid to me chum. And I’d never let that kid get hurt or die, you almost did.”

“I stayed traught. Did my job. Didn’t get dead.”

“You very nearly did.”

“Nearly, B. Nearly. I’m breathing fine now. Can do all sorts of tricks and everything. Like I said, I do my job. I’m supposed to be an example and I’m supposed to be ready to lead this team one day,” Dick argued. “So I need to stay traught and help save them. That’s what you do when the League’s in danger.”

“You’re not leader yet.”

“I’m still part of the team. Look at Artemis! She saved all of us,” he protested then looked at Bruce earnestly. “You can trust her by the way. She’s not going to help her dad. Not out of free will.”

“You’re sure?”

“She saved my life. And this whole teams. She could have abandoned us. The specs I gave her access too could have led her out of the mountain. She stayed and helped us. We watched during school too. She just wants to be good, make her mom proud and that means not following her footsteps, or her dad’s and sister’s.”

Bruce nodded. The fact that Dick was so willing to trust her after Red Tornado had just portrayed her showed a lot. The teenager’s instincts were almost always right about people and he’d take the kid’s words. “We’ll trust her. Though I still want you to keep an eye on her. Now go to sleep. I’m going to talk to Alfred and the other Leaguers after. I’ll wake you in a few hours.”

Dick cursed then. “It’s the 23rd! Babs is fifteen! I was supposed to text her at midnight!”

“She’ll understand. Go to sleep. And don’t try looking for your glove or phone,” Bruce said as Dick started to search. Dick slumped over and turned over on the pillow as Bruce tucked the blanket around him. He pulled the cowl back on and opened the door.

“Noapte bună Tati. **(Goodnight Dad)** ”

“Goodnight chum.”

 


	14. Charity Ball, Not Charity Cases

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**September 25th**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

 

 

Within the past month Dick had: gone to a foreign country and forgotten the past six months, since the time right before they’d adopted Cassie, stopped the kidnapping of the Kobra’s twin brother and then had to team up with Wally, Artemis and their mentors to stop the cult and Kobra from making himself a giant snake monster, watched hockey with Artemis and Wally when Kaldur was running the Belle Reve mission, been drowned by the Reds, traveled to India and fought creatures with Kobra Venom among other things, all before preparing for school.

He should’ve been starting high school this year, but instead he and Barbara were sophmores. Artemis, was a junior. Dick sighed from his seat in front of the monitor with Artemis’s file. Bruce had given her the scholarship not only because he thought it would be good for her and the team, but also so Dick and Barbara could watch her.

Lawrence Crock was on the loose and from recent information it seemed like her sister Jade was too. Artemis could be coerced, asked to join them in their mercenary game with assassins. Dick was supposed to watch for signs when she wasn’t aware he was there, acting differently than she did with the team.

Dick had faith in Artemis though. He trusted her, she’d proven herself in Bialya when left alone with Wally. She had no recollection of him but she hadn’t hurt him, even when she thought her father would be watching. Dick had recovered the footage, though Wally didn’t know. It was his job as analyst and strategist to know everything about the teams missions.

Then she’d done it, she’d stayed traught and saved them. She was part of their team, she belonged in his family now, he was sure of that, just like Roy and Wally. She’d done plenty of things for the team before and after, though she might kill Dick the one day she realized what he did their first day at school.

“ _Master Dick!”_ Alfred scolded when he came down. “You should be in your tux. The gala starts in an hour and you need to arrive on time.”

Dick groaned. The annual gala for Gotham Academy and it’s scholarship students, past and future, was the worst thing he did at the beginning of every school year, the first weekend of the year. He hated every gala but this one was worse than most. He trudged up the stairs under Alfred’s watchful gaze and cleaned up. He joined Bruce in his room where he was helping Jason and Tim do their ties. Jason smacked his hand away.

“I can do it myself.”

Dick looked in the mirror as he did his own tie. “You sure Jason?”

“I’ve seen it done enough times.”

Jason fumbled with his tie and Bruce shook his head with laughter as he sent Tim to go get Cass. “Let me do it for now champ. Next gala I’ll show you how to do it all on your own like I have Dick.”

Jason groaned but conceded as Bruce finished tying his tie. They met Tim and Cass out in the hallway. The boy like his father and brothers was wearing a blue tie. Alfred had said it was the one shade of blue that brought out all their eyes. Cass was wearing a black flouncy dress with a bow and lining on the bottom that matched their ties. She smiled up at Bruce. She hated galas like the others, though this was only her third, but she did like the dresses she got to wear.

“Let’s get this over with,” Jason groaned going down the stairs to the limousine. Dick put his arm around Tim and followed as Cass reached up for Bruce’s hand. Together he went down with his daughter getting into the car Alfred pulled around.

When they reached the Gala Bruce had already stopped Jason and Dick from fighting and fixed them both up. He’d lectured all the children on his expectations for them during the gala and endured a lecture from Alfred himself. Then together looking perfectly composed they walked into the Gala.

Artemis watched Bruce Wayne enter with the four kids she was pretty sure he’d adopted. She pulled down on the black dress she was wearing uncomfortably. Luckily her mother said she didn’t need to here for more than an hour and a half. She didn’t know anyone or want anything to do with most of these people.

As Wayne entered with the kids everyone watched, talking silenced a bit and all eyes were on them. Then a business man started to talk with Wayne and the party started up again. Artemis’s attention was pulled away as someone hugged her.

Bette Kane came up dressed in a slimming red dress with her hair curling behind her ears the rest in an updo. Artemis smiled back at her though she was feeling even more underdressed than before next to one of the most elite girls in Gotham.

“Hi Bette.”

“Artemis! You look awesome. It’s so great you’re here! Last time I was at this ball I had to third wheel my friends the whole time. But now at least it won’t be as bad with you here.”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been here for ten minutes and it’s worse than anything I’ve ever been too! And this dress, compared to yours? Really Bette? I’m just happy to have a friend who can show me the steps here. And I mean you’ve got to have load more friends than me.”

“Here, no. Just Barbara and Dick. And they have their own thing going on ha;f the time, not even sure what. It’s not just their sexual tension,” Bette smirked.

“Barbara and Dick?”

Dick looked around from where he stood next to Bruce and his siblings knowing someone was looking at him. He turned and saw Artemis talking with Bette who was turning back to Artemis though the latter girl was still staring at him. Dick smirked ignoring the tempting urge to snap a picture of Artemis in that dress and send it to Wally. Maybe that would that the _De_ out of Denial.

He was interrupted by the person talking to Bruce leaving and a new couple approaching. The Powers, a couple that owned several successful hotels around the city. Mr. Powers reached out to shake Bruce’s hand and Mrs. Powers looked at the kids for a bit. Dick shivered as her eyes lingered on him then Tim for a few moments longer than everyone else. Her eyes kept returning to him before she looked at Bruce with a blinding smile.

“And these are the children right? All so grown up. Aren’t you?”

Jason opened his mouth to make a comment but Cass smiled at her silencing him affectively. Pretending to be a sweet little girl shut the socialites up sometimes but not often. Bruce put on his _Brucie_ smile and nodded. “All four of them. It’s hard to believe sometimes. It’s been almost seven years since Richard first came to live with me.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Powers said surveilling Dick again. “I know.”

Dick exchanged glances with Jason and felt Bruce look at him also. The socialites usually brushed him off after their cooing over how grown up he was. Bruce had gone through the same thing at their age, though much like Tim the socialites didn’t right him off as much. They all hated the Galas, or mostly. They were a necessary evil so they all found ways to deal. This part though, the socialites and their fake interest in the kids. That was the worst.

Yet somehow Mrs. Powers interest didn’t seem so fake. She left with her husband a moment later though to be replaced by some women. They all giggled as Brucie smiled at them.

Then one looked down at the kids. “Oh how sweet. I love your dress sweetheart.”

Cass nodded smiling and the woman frowned. Another one looked at Bruce. “Where’s this one from again? She’s so exotic looking.”

“She’s not a pet,” Jason growled. Dick reached for his arm trying to hold him back. Tim glowered at the woman and Cass looked a bit confused for a moment as her brother gripped her hand. She held onto Bruce’s jacket and he looked down at her. For a minute all of the kids could see the anger flickering behind Bruce’s eyes.

Bruce turned back from the woman. “No. Cassandra is Chinese-American. And she would like to thank you. She speaks in sign language though we’re working with her.”

“Oh.” The woman turned walking away after thanking Bruce and saying a few more things. “Two really such exotic children. I mean the eldest, he’s a gypsy right? And such beautiful eyes!”

Another woman nodded tittering. “I hope he’s well behaved though. The other’s from crime alley right? Together with the gypsy they can’t be such a good influence on the youngest. He’s the Drake’s kid.”

“Such a pity. Bruce could have settled down and had a nice family. The Drake kid could have stayed. His parent’s business will be his somedays. So sad of all the kids that Bruce took in only one has good breeding.”

“My last name isn’t Drake,” Tim mumbled so only his siblings heard him. “Bruce adopted me. I’m Drake-Wayne now.”

“And I’m Todd-Wayne,” Jason agreed. “We don’t need to listen to those horrible woman. They’re all bit—”

Dick interrupted him. “I’m going to find Barbara. Is that okay Dad?”

Bruce nodded understandingly haven’t had heard most of his kids conversation. Dick grinned. “Good. At least that torture is over.”

“Right,” Jason said as Dick left. “Come on Tim!”

Cass gripped her father’s hand as Tim was dragged away by Jason and Dick disappeared into the crowd. Another couple came over and Bruce put on another blinding smile.

“Thank god you’re finally here,” Barbara yelped when she saw Dick hugging him. He looked at her grinning as she let go and stepped back. This past year he’d started to notice how awesome Barbara looked at these events and this was his favorite of the dresses she had to wear to all the galas she went to with her father. It was green bringing out her eyes. His eyes were drawn to the black strappy heels and he stiffened for a moment looking up and shaking his head.

“As miserable here as ever then, right? Not the best way to spend the weekend after your birthday.” Dick’s teasing only made her roll her eyes though she had smiled. He hadn’t been able to spend the day of her birthday with her, the second day of school, because he had been in India. After he had been dealing with the possibility of there being a mole and everything else going on. She’d read all his mission reports.

Though she had seen him when she had been at the manor that night for dinner though and her and Dick had separated from the others on patrol where he gave her his gift. She smiled a little at the memory. Then she remembered what they had been talking about.

“At least it’s mostly the scholarship kids at this ball, and their sponsors,” She paused. “I saw her.”

Dick stiffened. “She came then? Probably trying to avoid everyone. She doesn’t want to have to do with anything.”

“She’s eyeing you,” Barbara noted. “Glaring more like it.”

“She’s recognized me,” Dick grinned and laughed as Artemis glared harder from near the buffet table.

“She what?” Barbara whispered harshly.

“Not like that. From that picture I took with her the first day of school,” Dick told her.

Barbara nodded then grinned. “I should probably introduce myself too. C’mon!”

Dick laughed. Now this was how you made Galas fun. They found Artemis talking with Bette who smiled and waved them over when she saw them. Barbara put on a smile as Dick grinned mischeviously. Artemis narrowed her eyes when she saw him.

“Bette! So happy to see you,” Barbara said smiling. “I love your dress.”

“You too,” Bette smiled. “That color looks amazing on you. You haven’t met Artemis yet, have you?”

“No,” Barbara smiled. “Artemis? Like the Archer?”

Dick held back a snicker as Artemis blanched. “What?”

“The Greek goddess of the moon and archers,” Barbara explained with a straight face. “Among other things. It’s a cool name. Barbara, well it’s just old fashioned and annoying.”

“Don’t complain Babs,” Dick smiled charmingly. “You, Artemis and Bette are lucky. Old fashioned is being named Richard and called Dick.”

Artemis snorted as the other two girls giggled. Dick held out his hand. “Dick Grayson. Nice to meet you. It’s good to have someone new to hang out with at these things.”

Artemis looked confused. Bette took it on her to explain. “Galas, balls, whatever you want to call them. Dick is Bruce Wayne’s ward. He and his siblings get dragged to all of these things because of him.”

“And we get stuffed into these monkey suits and have to put up with all the annoying women flirting with Bruce and pretending to care about us too,” Dick agreed. “This is one of the better Galas. It’s the scholarship ball, you would know.”

Artemis crossed her arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Dick didn’t mean it like that. I’m a scholarship student too. Though I do have to go to most of these galas too because of my dad.”

“You dad?”

“Commissioner Gordon,” Bette answered. “And though Dick is Bruce’s ward people put him on the same level as the scholarship kids too. Even my family thinks so.”

“Let’s not pretend,” Dick rolled his eyes. “Your family hates Bruce. Well everyone except Kate. She’s cool.”

“Aunt Kate is the best,” Bette agreed. “But she’s still in the middle East for now. So the Kane’s will still keep hating on the Waynes. Especially you Dick.”

She said that last part jokingly but Dick laughed forcibly. “Right, because Bruce’s Grandma Kane loves that he adopted a bunch of kids of low class. The only one she likes is Tim.”

“Yeah. We know our relatives are power hungry,” Bette said. “But we’re boring Artemis!”

“Sorry,” Dick smiled.

“What are you apologizing for?” Artemis asked. “This conversation or something else?”

“That picture you mean,” Dick pulled out his phone waving it and smiled at her. “Sorry. I saw Bette making a new friend and wanted to annoy her. Seems like I succeeded in annoying you too.”

Bette scoffed rolling her eyes. Barbara elbowed Dick who rubbed his arms and glared at her playfully. Artemis watched, for a rich kid he didn’t seem so bad. And Commisioner Gordon was great from what Robin had said. She bet he would think his daughter was just as nice. Barbara looked at her with a smile. “So Artemis, tell us about yourself. Where are you from? What are your hobbies? Your old school, what was it like? That kind of stuff.”

Artemis blanched again and Barbara exchanged looks with Dick. Bruce was looking over at him and Dick smirked as he saw Bruce sigh giving up from chastising Dick about their identities when Cass pulled him out onto the dance floor. He saw Jason and Tim in the corner whispering and eating food.

Dick smiled at the sight. Jason’s protectiveness took over when people started to harass Tim wondering about Drake Enterprises or make comments to Cass. Then he’d occupy them. Most the time Dick and Barbara would join him but just this once they were doing something a little more important.

Artemis had stopped stuttering and was talking to Barbara. The two were getting along great though Babs still threw in small things that tripped Artemis up every once in a while with Dick’s help.

As for Bruce he’d stopped worrying about Dick giving up his identity accidently when Cass pulled him to dance. She’d started to learn watching videos. It was something that took the agility and grace she used for fighting but there was no violence in it. These few galas Bruce had enjoyed dancing with his daughter more than anything else.

For two songs they danced. Cass smiling wide as she twirled around the dance floor. The in a pause between the songs Bruce saw Dick gesturing for him to come over. Since his first charity ball whenever Dick wanted something he’d gesture for Bruce to come over. Much subtler than some of his other children’s tactics.

Bruce walked away from the dance floor and Cass let go to go run over to Jason and Tim pulling Jason to dance with her. He walked over to Dick with his Brucie façade still on.

“Artemis this is my well…. This is B,” Dick said smiling. He didn’t usually call Bruce dad in public. Since he wasn’t adopted and could be taken away by the state he felt it was a more private thing. He used the word more sparingly than Jason and Tim. “And this is Artemis Crock.”

“Yes, Artemis,” Bruce said slowly as if remembering. He held out a hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Are you enjoying the gala?”

“Um… yes?”

“She is now that we’re here,” Bette told him.

“Ahh, Bette. How are you? You parents are here too?”

“Just them,” Bette assured him. “Uncle Phillip and Uncle Solomon didn’t come.”

Bruce nodded. “Well I’m glad you’re all here enjoying yourselves. Hopefully this will be a last bit of fun before school starts getting harder.”

Dick snickered and Bruce looked at him confused before he felt something hit his shoulder. He saw a crumpled napkin hit the floor and sighed. Like Dick gestured for his attention at galas Jason threw things. Another thing hit his shoulder. Bruce sighed and turned from the four teens. “One second.”

“Wait, Bruce!” Dick held out the napkin uncrumpling it and Bruce looked at the note scribbled inside. It was Tim’s handwriting telling him to come over. He saw Cass’s name but couldn’t read much more. He looked at the two of him were Tim was writing frantically again as Jason stared at him.

Bruce looked at Dick. “I’m going to take care of your siblings. Cass is…”

Dick laughed. And Bruce huffed leaving coming over to where Jason was crumpling up Dick’s note and gearing to throw it looking up surprised when Bruce was standing right in front of him.

“Jason,” Bruce growled.

“Finally old man! Cass is gone again.”

“I’ll find her, but you will stop throwing things to get my attention. And no notes either Tim. If you want to talk to me you come and get me or be more subtle about it like Dick.”

“Right,” Jason grumbled as Bruce turned. “Be more like the golden boy.”

“Come on Jason!” Tim pulled on Jason’s arm. “Dick and Barbara aren’t with Bette and Artemis anymore. And I have to tell Babs about my project!”

Bruce was looking around for Cass. Something must of upset her. She hid when that happened and she couldn’t find him first. She seemed sure he would always find her. Though he wasn’t to annoyed with the excuse to get away from all the woman chasing _Brucie_.

As he searched for Cass he saw Artemis leaving with a relieved look on her face. Barbara was with his three sons nearby in a corner. Then he saw a flash of black under the white tablecloth nearby them.

Bruce looked around until no one was watching and ducked under the tablecloth with Cass. “Cass..”

“ _Hiding,”_ she signed.

“What happened?”

_“More mean woman. Mean to me. Mean to Dick, Jason and Tim. You were gone.”_

“I was with Dick and Barbara. I know the women are mean but they always are, what else did they do?”

_“No dance. Not allowed.”_

Bruce growled. This was a gala held by him. His daughter would dance all she wanted and no women would be able to say anything about it. “You can dance all you want Cass. And I still need to have a last dance. I’d prefer it be with you.”

Cass smiled and hugged him. Bruce grabbed her hand and ducked out from under the table. Cass came out with him and he dusted out her dress. She looked up at him smiling.

“Now Cassandra, may I have this dance?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Mrs. Powers, was actually part of the court of Owls which explains her interest in Dick. Not so much with the others. The kids getting Bruce’s attention was a tumblr headcanon I found.


	15. Chapter 15

****

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**October 2nd**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

Below Wayne Manor Jason and Tim were starting a new simulation spar as Bruce watched from his chair. Next to him was Cass lying on her stomach practicing reading on some evidence files looking up every so often to watch her brothers fight. Tim was practicing with a bo staff, a weapon that Bruce thought he worked well with. Jason was still using his fists and size, rather large for an eleven year old boy, to do what he needed to do.

Then the batcomputer lit up. Bruce paused. “Stop. Simulation.”

He turned to the screen to see Clark. “Look at your cameras in downtown metropolis. If this continues I’ll need all the help I can get.”

Bruce nodded as he heard Clark take off and the video shut off and he pulled up a new one. Large weed like plants were bursting out of Metropolis’s streets and wrapping themselves around buildings, smashing people and causing lots of destruction and mayhem. Superman used his laser vision to cut one in half and saved the people falling. John Stewart showed up and helped with his ring a moment later and the plants retreated.

“Giant plants?” Jason asked. “Poison Ivy?”

“No. She can’t do something that big,” Tim shook his head. “At least not usually.”

“Something or someone must be giving her a boost of power,” agreed Bruce.

“But why Metropolis and not Gotham?” Jason said. “I mean Ivy doesn’t have a grudge against the big guy in blue, does she?”

“Not that I know of. That must be whoever she’s working with,” Bruce nodded. “But something about those plants seems familiar.”

“The Kobra venom from Dick’s mission files.” Barbara dropped her bag. “Sorry I’m late for training.”

“Green Lantern,” Bruce said into his comm ignoring her. “Run an analysis with your ring for Kobra Venom and send me the results.”

Barbara turned to the boys and Cass. “Ivy?”

“With Kobra Venom.”

“They’re working together,” Jason said grimly.

“It’s Kobra Venom, a variant for plants,” Bruce said walking into the locker room of the cave. “I’m going to Mount Justice. I want to hear what the team thinks. This has to do with their missions. I want all of you ready. Just in case.”

“All of us?” Jason asked excitedly.

“Yes. Though you might need to stay here and help Alfred run communications Tim.”

Tim nodded seriously as Bruce disappeared through the zeta tube. They all exchanged glances then grabbed their suits disappearing into the locker rooms. Footsteps sounded on the stairs as Alfred came down with a tray of food. “Sandwhichs? Oh. I suppose there’s a mission.”

“A possible one,” Barbara said coming out.

“Not just possible anymore,” Tim said as he sat at the computer. “Look! The plants are everywhere!”

“There’s no way Ivy’s that strong, even with Kobra Venom in her plants. She can’t be in at least five cities!”

“As you said, she isn’t working alone,” Alfred commented as the screen went to static.

Barbara took a seat at the computer. “Someone’s cutting into all satellite signals.”

The Jokers face popped up through the static and all the kids recoiled. Alfred put a reassuring hand on Jason and Tim’s shoulders and watched the video as Barbara typed furiously trying to track it.

“ _Who?”_ Cass signed pointing at the screen. “ _Joker. Ivy._ ”

“Count Vertigo, he’s one of Green Arrow’s villians. Diplomatic immunity. He’s part of the ruling family of Vlatlava . Wotan and Black Adam.”

“Serious magic and power,” Jason agreed as Tim named the villians.

“And Atomic Skull and Ultra Humanite. Heavy fighters and some more serious power,” Barbara agreed. “The Injustice League. They’ve possibly been behind everything. But…”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Tim bit his lip.

“Why?” Jason asked confused. “A league of bad guys. Makes perfect sense to me.”

“Ivy’s the only real scientist. None of them would be able to do the other things like start Kobra Venom and hire the other villians. Most villians are reluctant to even work with Joker.” Barbara spun to turn to Alfred. “We need to go and help. Behind the scenes though. Tim, stay here and try to get in touch with Batman.”

“Already here. Captain Marvel and Zatara will be arriving in the city soon to help. But we’ll need all hands on deck. You three help civilians. Tim, start working on a weed killer for cobra venom, we’ll need it for the batplane.”

Barbara got on her motorcycle Cass behind her and Jason in a side car and they sped off. Tim started to work furiously as Alfred turned to Bruce. “What about this Injustice League?”

“This has been the team’s mission from the start,” Bruce said. “They need to be the ones to finish it.”

Alfred nodded though he seemed to be in protest and walked away as Tim ran up shoving a vial into Bruce’s hands. “Here!”

“Run comms with Alfred. Make sure the others stay out of sight,” Bruce said running down the hall into the Batplane’s hangar.

Red Hood watched from beside a gargoyle as Batman dropped weed killer on some plants and Captain Marvel pulled them out and flew them away. Then Zatara cast a spell but all that happened was the pods exploded Joker venom in gas and some firemen stumbled out of the cloud laughing until they were dead with smiles on their faces.

“There’s joker venom in the vines,” he said into the comms.

“Keep your antidotes’s handy,” ordered Batgirl as she pulled some civilians away from a vine that was smashing into a building. Black Bat wrapped her grappling hook around it and swung up placing exploding batarang’s on the plant and jumping off as it flailed and shrunk.

The three kids jumped away as it hit the ground looking around to help out. For a few hours they saved all the civilians they could making sure to keep out of the cameras and not be seen by too many. Then as the sky darkened their comms rung. Tim’s voice came throught. “Split up. We need people everywhere. Alfred has sent out the call to more heroes, Guy Gardner has already shown up in Star City and Plastic man has been sighted in Gotham. But we need you guys with the civilians.”

“Got it,” Barbara said. From their perch atop Wayne Tower they could see everything, like Batman flying over and Zatara spell casting. Zatara’s latest spell upset the plants and they flailed rising up and hitting the Batplane.

Black Bat gasped as a cloud of fire exploded. Red Hood scanned the sky pointing. “He’s there! Gliding!”

“Yeah, but that man isn’t,” Batgirl shot her grappling hook going to catch a man who was falling from being hit into the air but the angry plant. She was too late and he fell to the ground only to be bounced off a trampoline shaped Plastic Man. She sighed in relief before disappearing back into the shadows. She could only hope Robin and his team put a stop to this soon.

Her wish was granted when a few minutes later all the plants flailed and collapsed. She heard Robin’s voice through the Justice League comm channel. “Timber.”

“Help anyone who still needs help,” Batman’s voice ordered through the private channel for the Bats. “We’re going to make sure the team is alright.”

Batgirl nodded though she was smiling. Behind her Red Hood was cheering and pumping his fist as he danced around with Black Bat. Robin had done it. Now they just needed to clean up.

In the Lousiana Bayou Robin twitched as he was hit by Wotan’s lightning and the same happened to his team mates around him. He saw Aqualad intercept it and tell Miss Martian is was time for plan B. Above the bioship flew and opened dropping a bag. Robin gasped as the lightning stopped and Aqualad turned into Dr. Fate putting Wotan in chains.

**“Wotan. You are mine.”**

**“Wonder Boy. You are mine,”** Joker mimicked as Robin stood up. He pulled out a knife then another then sliced. Robin leapt backwards, harder when you were walking through swamp water. He flipped again as Joker swiped where he had been seconds before with a knife. **“Always wanted to carve this bird.”**

Joker ran forward again and Robin had no choice but to leap again slightly slipping in the swampy water. Behind him Kid Flash and Artemis took out Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo saving Miss Martian in the process. He saw them talking for a second but saved the gloating and teasing for when he wasn’t fighting a deranged clown. Then both of them went down with Wolf from Ultra Humanite’s hit.

Robin dodged Joker’s hit again only to see a batarang knock the knives out of his hands and the League descending from the sky. Batman was flying on Green Lantern’s platform and landed in front of him and the Injustice League.

He’d seen Dr. Fate as they were flying in and his eyes had frantically searched to assure him it wasn’t Robin under the helmet. He’d seen the boy wonder fighting the Joker and though he knew he was capable of winning he took Joker out himself. For now his panic was assuaged. Robin was safe. He turned to the Injustice League. **“It’s over.”**

They put their hands up and Count Vertigo smirked. **“There will be another day.”**

**“Another day? Another day?”** Joker yelled. **“There won’t be another day! Not for any of us.** ”

He wiggled his fingers and plants rose. Batman realized what was happening too late as the Joker Venom exploded in gas. He yelled. **“Joker Venom spores! Don’t breath!”**

He punched a still laughing Joker in the face and went for his gas mask seeing Robin doing the same. Then above him a golden light glowed as Dr. Fate flew in and all the gas disappeared.

**“Fear not! Fate has intervened!”**

Soon the villians were handcuffed and Fate had landed. Kid Flash was pacing shaking the arm that wasn’t in a sling. **“What were you thinking? How could you let him put on the helmet? Nabu will never release him now. Kaldur will be trapped inside Dr. Fate forever.”**

Batman looked around at Robin thankfully and felt Green Arrow’s hand on his arm. He pushed it off feeling relief Robin was there and a slight regret for not feeling worse about Kaldur. The Atlantian had proved a good leader and hero, Batman had started to like him as well as the rest of the team, but at the same time he was only thankful it wasn’t Robin wearing the Helmet.

Then Fate pulled off the helmet turning back into Aqualad. Kid Flash approached him. **“Nabu let you go?”**

**“He almost did not. But your friend Kent was most helpful. He says hello.”**

Kid Flash grinned but Batman stiffened wanting to get Robin as far away from the helmet as possible. It didn’t have a host anymore. He decided to focus on something else. **“We’re done here. The super villain secret society has been neutralized. As for your performance….**

He paused looking around at all of the team before ending with his gaze on Robin. **“It was satisfactory.”**

 

Back at the Batcave still grinning he looked at Bruce. “Satisfactory B? That’s the best you have for us? C’mon Dad!”

“Your team did well Dick. As for the giant plants, don’t think I didn’t recognize the signs of destruction on them or hear your little comment when they came down.”

Dick blushed. “Thanks. But we all would’ve died if it wasn’t for Kaldur and Fate.”

“You understand how dangerous that helmet is, right?”

“We all do. And Wally and Kaldur both put it on when there was no other choice.”

“I just need you to promise me chum,” Bruce looked at him. “Please.”

“Yeah,” Dick said confused. “I promise. Wh—”

His question was interrupted as Tim hugged him. “You did it!”

“Fighting the Injustice League and saving most of the world? A days work for the golden boy.” Jason’s tone wasn’t teasing though. He was grinning as well.

“Yeah? Well I bet you guys did some pretty awesome stuff as well. Saved people from this disaster. Heavy on the dis.”

Cass nodded and Jason shrugged trying to be nonchalant. “Yeah. Though it wasn’t as bad as your made up words.”

Barbara rolled her eyes. “So, the Injustice League, tell us about it?”

“You don’t have to go home?”

“My dad knows I was here and the roads are semi wrecked. I’m sleeping over,” she explained.

“Great!” Dick grinned. “PJs and Hot chocolate.”

“You all need a real dinner as well. Master Dick can tell his story then. After straight to bed,” Alfred said. “You’ve all had a rather long and exciting day.”

Bruce watched the five kids scamper upstairs and walked after them. He listened to Dick tell what had happened over dinner and listened to the others talk about fighting the plants here in Gotham. And for a while his worry went away, they were all safe and sitting here. He sighed and walked back into the office and paced looking at the rest of the League’s reports to hear the kids laughter echoing in his ears.

An hour later Alfred came in with a cup of coffee. “The children are all upstairs in their beds. Miss Barbara has taken her usual room.”

Bruce looked up and sighed. “Thanks Alfred. I think there’s no need for patrol tonight either. It’s too late. I’ll be going to sleep soon as well.”

Alfred nodded and left the room. Bruce took a sip of his coffee and looked at the files in front of him again. A minute later he put them down. He walked upstairs and opened the first door. Cass’s. Her light was off, though her Ballerina nightlight illuminated the other posters of people dancing Ballet. She was tucked under her yellow and blue blankets with her even breath making them rise up and down.

He closed the door and opened the one to the guest room around the hall corner that Barbara usually used. She was covered in purple blankets and her red hair was pulled back in a pony tail. Her back was to him but he smiled as he walked out. She was as much a part of the family as the others, even though she didn’t live here and wasn’t officialy part of the family though he had his suspicions she might be someday.

Next was Jason’s room across the hall. It was a mess, with several books stacked by his bed and another laid out across his stomach. His messy hair was stretched across the pillow. Bruce pulled the book off his bed and pulled a bookmark from the mug nearby to put in it. He stepped on something that made a sound as he walked out but Jason was such a deep sleeper it didn’t matter.

Tim, however, moved in his bed when Bruce opened the door. He pulled the green sheets over him as he did. Bruce smirked at all the messy notebooks and crumpled papers. Tim wanted to be a detective, and he was already mostly there.

That left the last room Dick’s. Bruce opened the door, rolled his eyes at the Superman sweatpants as soon as he saw Dick in them. The huge bed and blue covers were mostly filled by the spread eagled Dick. He always slept in different positions, Bruce was never sure how he’d find Dick asleep. His room was decorated with different posters, a flying Grayson one, a Justice League one and other pictures on his nightstand.

He was safe. He was here.


	16. Failed, Not at All Safe

**Hall of Justice**

**Year 2010**

**October 16th**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

“Artemis is down,” Martian Manhunter said as his eyes glowed in the center of the circle of children all lying on beds.

“She should be waking up then,” Captain Marvel commented worriedly.

“Give it a few minutes.”

“No. She will not wake,” J’onn argued to Red Tornado’s comment. “M’gann has wrestled the simulation out of my control. Seeing her friend die must have traumatized her too deeply and she has forgotten it was not real. The others feel the same. When they fall they will not wake. Not until M’gann realizes this is all in her mind.”

“Can you fix it?” Batman said urgently.

“I will try and enter the simulation now,” J’onn agreed as he got on the last empty bed. “Wish me luck.”

 

**\----------------------------------------------------------**

**“They’re really gone,”** Robin said looking up at the crumbled statues around him of the League, the world’s defenders and his family. He hadn’t believed it until now. Hadn’t let it get to him, or even react to it as he watched Batman shot out of the sky. His father was gone along with Uncle Clark and then all the rest of his Aunts and Uncles who’d gone as the first line in space.

There was still hope while Barry sped around but then he’d disappeared in a flash with Iris’s’ screams stopped not long after. Dick knew if Bruce and Alfred weren’t able they were lined up as his siblings next guardians. The same thing with Dinah and Ollie. But all of them were gone in a single day.

At least Alfred was probably still around. He would take care of them. He wouldn’t let any of them outside. The others were probably safe for now, he would check soon, he would call. He just hoped they hadn’t heard about Bruce yet. They’d all lost too much.

But maybe that was why he was able to keep going as Wally screamed for revenge and M’gann cried her heart out on her Uncle’s statue. He knew what loss was like. He knew he needed to keep moving, keep going, defend the world first and grieve later. That’s what Bruce would do.

Then suddenly M’gann shot up. With a large blast of her mind she pulled her Uncle’s fallen statue revealing the Martian manhunter sitting rubbing his head. She cried his name and tried to race forward.

“ **Uncle J’onn!”**

Robin echoed the same words in his mind. One of them was still there. He hadn’t left all of them yet. Then Aqualad’s words to M’gann as he leapt in front of her reminded him that he couldn’t let his emotions blind him.

**“M’gann! Check his mind. Make sure he is whom he appears to be.”**

**“It’s him. He’s real. And he’s alive!”**

She wasn’t wary at all though Robin’s guard was back up. Apparently the other’s were too. Something was strange here. It wasn’t right. Conner was the first to voice it. **“But we saw you get disintegrated. You and Superman. And everyone. ”**

**“Yes. I remember,”** J’onn said rubbing his head as M’gann helped him up. “ **But I cannot remember how I survived. Or how I arrived here. ”**

‘Yep,’ Robin decided as his detective senses tingled. Something was definitely up. He observed as M’gann theorized though his optimism wouldn’t let him completely give up. Maybe she was right. He voiced that opinion that the martian’s brain was scrambled. He wasn’t confident but the convinced act would pass for now.

He would try not to raise his hopes, even as Wally dragged him outside to observe the beams and their signals theorizing that everyone had been transported as prisoners of war. But he knew better even if he wanted to join M’gann and Wally in their hopes. Alfred and Bruce always said not to put all your eggs in one basket.

 

**\----------------------------------------------------------**

 

“Aqualad is down as well,” Batman said grimly. Robin was still there. His bird would step up as team leader in a situation Batman never wanted him to be in. But the teenager had no clue this wasn’t real and Batman all but wished this training idea hadn’t been either.

 

**\----------------------------------------------------------**

 

As they arrived back at the cave he was feeling less ready, but still more determined when he realized Aqualad wasn’t there. J’onn was too confused to make any big decisions. M’gann was too naïve, Wally too headstrong and emotional and Sueprboy too ready to jump in. He needed to step up, something he didn’t think would happen for several more years. But he’d been trained for this since he was seven. With one more deep breath he started to give the orders for a mission he realized his friend might not return from.

He’d be like Batman. He’d give the mission and give them one of the reasons for it, even if he suspected the one the others wanted to believe in would lead them nowhere. But taking out the mothership would probably stop them, let the rest of the world survive, let his siblings and family survive. If Superboy was the one cost then it might be necessary, no matter how much he hated it. He’d do it himself if he could, but he also needed to get back to the rest of the people who needed him.

A time frame was laid out. Plans were made as well as strategies. They couldn’t give up now. Neither could of the rest of the world. But Robin had too much to do and couldn’t broadcast the signal in different languages by himself. He’d gone in silence for too long to.

“Robin to batcave.”

“Master Dick,” came Alfred’s very relieved voice. “Thank god you are alright.”

“For now,” he agreed then took a deep breath. “The others? Have they seen what happened? Are they out there?”

“Miss Gordon was sent her by her father. She tried to go back out but he would not have anyone fighting out there. He said he believed Batman wouldn’t want it. The others have seen. They are afraid and in shock but shall be happy to know you are safe.”

“I’m happy you’re all safe too,” Robin said with a deep breath. “I’ll try to stay safe Alfred but we’re the only ones left. I need to go out there. I’m the only one left to lead the team. Roy, Zatanna, some friends of Kaldur and one other teen hero we found are here to pick up if we fall. I need you to keep the others from doing the safe, until there’s no choice. Keep them safe.”

“I will Master Dick. Keep yourself safe as well,” Alfred said.

“I’ll try. Can I talk to Barbara?”

“Dick! Thank god you’re all right,” Barbara’s voice came over teary. She sounded sadder then he’d ever heard. “After what happened to Bruce…”

“I know. But we’re not out of this yet.”

“I tried to come help. Dad sent me to the manor. The rest of Gotham has retreated to a bunker. We’ll join soon and bring our supplies. Until then the Rogues have decided they want to live and put up a fight.”

“It’s happened before,” Robin told her. “Now we need to tell the rest of the world to do the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re sending out a message. The ones that are left, Wally, M’gann, Conner and me. I need you to broadcast it. I’m sending you something else too. Watch it with the others in case I don’t come back.”

“Dick…”

“Stay away and stay safe. They need you. I’ll try to come home but I’m depending on you. We need this to work and I can’t focus if you’re out there to,” Dick said. “I can’t lose anyone else.”

“You won’t,” Barbara replied though she didn’t sound like she believed it. Then with a deep breath and through the tears Dick could hear falling as she cried she tried a shaky smile. “Now get back to work wonder boy. We have a world to save.”

“Babs… I…”

“Robin,” Wally came racing in then paused apologetically seeing he was on comms. “It’s time.”

“Goodbye Babs.”

 

A few hours later Robin stood from a vantage point he’d known from trips with Clark to Smallville. Trips he’d never have again. Ma and Pa’s farm was under the mothership right now, destroyed. Like the rest of it. It was his duty to let nothing else happen.

M’gann seemed to sense his confliction as she walked up. He put down the binoculars. **“Stay close to J’onn. He’s still..”**

Robin shook his hand to signal the martian was a bit shaky. M’gann nodded seriously and with one deep breath Robin stepped into the boots he’d never actually thought he’d need to fill.

As he’d taken off on Wally’s back it felt like all the games they used to play racing around cackling at the same time it felt like nothing else before. Especially once M’gann collapsed again confirming he’d just sent Conner to his death. And J’onn stated what he’d known but hadn’t wanted to say all along. They were all gone.

Wally was holding on to J’onn desperately saying that he knew Artemis was alive. Robin grabbed him turning him to face him. He’d wanted Wally to confront his feelings, but not like this. Never like this. **“Stop it KF! I’ve been scanning for League and team signals since we got inside. They’re not here. Artemis is gone.”**

He watched Wally’s face fall with betrayal and pain as he continued revealing what he’d planned since Aqualad’s fall. **“But our mission still holds purpose to destroy this mothership.”**

M’gann got up and he turned around ready to lead them into a final battle. They’d run in, him and Wally heading for the core before it’s energy dragged him in Wally grabbing his hand and meeting his eyes signaling no matter what they were still the best of friends, in this together.

They fell together too, though Robin managed to catch an edge with his grappling hook. Now Wally hang on to him as M’gann lowered them down and he dropped in the explosives.

**“You knew. You knew from the beginning why we were really here,”** Wally voiced realizing this might be his last chance.

Robin wanted to respond but there was no time. They were on a mission. He needed to concentrate. Everything else had to be put aside. **“Four minutes. Let’s go.”**

Together they’d run out only to see all the doors shut making them sealed in. The alien robots had approached and started shooting just as they’d hid around a corner. Robin looked at his watch and took a breath.. **“Sixteen seconds and counting.”**

But the others still had a chance. **“Manhunter. Take Miss Martian and go.”**

**“No, we won’t leave you.”**

**“That’s an order,”** Robin said with a tone of finality he’d never known he could use. He gave he one last lie, one last push to make sure she was safe. Like Bruce would. The others always got out first. Whatever it took to carry on. Truth and lies were all it was. **“We’ll follow as soon as we blow those doors.”**

This was it. He met Wally’s eyes apologetically. His best friend nodded as the last ten seconds counted down and M’gann disappeared with Manhunter. This was it. They were in it together no matter what. He drew his birdarangs ready for a last five second fight.

**\----------------------------------------------------------**

 

“That was Superboy,” Red Tornado said after another few minutes. Another few seconds and Kid Flash and Robin reacted similiarly.

“No. Not Wally too,” Captain Marvel said rushing over to the side of the redhead he idolized.

“J’onn will complete the mission,” Batman said with a confidence he didn’t have. “They’ll all wake soon.”

“What will they be thinking when they do?” Red Tornado let the question hang in the air..


	17. Chapter 17

Batman almost sighed with relief along with the other mentors as Martian Manhunter sat up and rubbed his head. Conner had been next, rubbing Wolf for comfort in his confusion. Captain Marvel supported Wally as he stumbled off the table and Red Tornado helped Artemis sit up.

Aqualad had gotten up himself as Batman helped J’onn stand straight. He looked over to Robin, the last to sit up as even M’gann had snapped up faster than he with panicked breath. **“You’re all alive!”**

The thirteen year old was now sitting up and sweating heavily. Batman sent him a worried glance before looking at J’onn. **“What happened in there?”**

**“The exercise, it all went wrong.”**

Robin looked at his mentor confused and almost panicked. It couldn’t have been fear gas. They wouldn’t have used that term. What training was this? **“Exercise?”**

**“Try to remember. What you experienced was a training exercise. Manhunter psychically linked the six of you within an artificial reality. You all knew this going in. What you didn’t know was that it was a train for failure exercise. No matter what he team accomplished the scenario was designed to grow worse.”**

**“Still, you were aware nothing was real including the deaths of the entire Justice League,”** Batman said planting his gaze on Robin as the boy’s eyes flashed with realization a little of the guilt falling away. He hadn’t been upset for a reason. He’d known it was fake.

J’onn continued. **“That is why you hardly grieved even when Wolf was disintegrated before your eyes. But all that changed when Artemis died.”**

Batman watched the children’s reactions carefully as J’onn continued his explanation. It was clear they were all traumatised. They were reacting in different ways but it was still clear they had been scarred. Even Artemis who hadn’t even been aware of the simulation when M’gann took control looked haunted, let alone Robin who wouldn’t meet his eyes.

He also couldn’t help but notice Wally’s eyes flickering over to Artemis several times. That might at least stop some of his teenage ward’s complaining about oblivious best friends.

Most worrying was M’gann. As J’onn explained he realized his assessment of the Martian girl hadn’t been through enough. She was probably the most powerful telepath alive, he realized as J’onn collapsed again just with enough time for Batman and Red Tornado to catch him.

**“As bad as all that?”**

**“Perhaps worse.”**

He barely paid attention the rest of the conversation to focused on the crying Martian girl in Captain Marvel’s arms and the rest of the teams traumatized looks. He looked back at Red Tornado and J’onn.

“We should get them home. They need to process before anything. Call their mentors. Black Canary for Superboy. She should be available for the next few days too. They need her for counseling.”

“I have sent out a signal,” Red Tornado said.

As proof Flash appeared through the Zeta tube seconds later to see his nephew hanging with his head low. He turned to the other adults angrily. “What happened?”

After a quick explanation the Flash walked over to Wally. “C’mon kid. Let’s get you home. You can have all the ice cream you want tonight and I’m sure Iris has something special ready for dinner.”

Wally nodded softly getting up before looking back at Robin with a frown and a look to talk later and an even quicker look at Artemis before quickly turning away. “Yeah. That sounds good.”

The next to appear were Green Arrow and Black Canary. Martian Manhunter explained again. Black Canary made an attempt to go closer to Conner but he shook his head as he stroked Wolf. She’d leave the clone for now then as she learned more about what happened.

Green Arrow talked softly to Artemis before nodding back at Black Canary. “I’m taking her back home and telling her mom about what happened.”

Artemis had looked at M’gann and took a step forward before retreating. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Aquaman had arrived in the meantime and gotten an explanation from Black Canary. “A swim will do you well Kaldur. We will talk as we travel from Poseidonis to Shayeris.”

“Yes my king. I agree.”

Batman turned to Red Tornado, Martian Manhunter and Black Canary. “You’ve got them?”

“Go home,” Dinah told him.

“Robin.”

“Yeah,” Robin said pushing himself up. “Let’s go.”

 

\------------------------------------------

 

“Yes!” cheered Jason. “They’re finally back!”

He ran up to meet his older brother and father only to see the expressions on both of their faces. “Whoa, who died?”

“Not now Jason.”

“Seriously,” Jason insisted. “What happened?”

“Dick, go change and shower. I’ll be in your room in a few minutes. Alfred, do you think—“

“I shall have some tea and some of Master Dick’s other favorites ready momentarily, “ the butler said disappearing up the stairs after the eerily silent oldest child.

“What’s wrong?” Tim asked quietly.

“ _Dick is scared. He feels upset. Like he hurt someone,”_ Cass signed. _“I don’t like it.”_

“I don’t either,” Bruce agreed. “This wasn’t supposed to happen but a training simulation went wrong. None of you are to ask him about it. If he wants to talk he will but what happened would scar anyone, even the toughest leaguers. It was a train for a fail situation but Miss Martian took control subconsciously and all their awareness of it being fake disappeared.”

“He thought he saw you die,” Jason realized.

“He thought he saw the league, team and most of the world die. And he led them through a good part of it,” Bruce said. “Aqualad was the second to go.”

“He did good at that though,” Tim insisted. “Dick is a good leader! He’s the best older brother. He knows how to do it.”

“Not through something like that,” Bruce told them. He crouched to get on his children’s level. “I don’t even know what really happened in most of that simulation. I just know your brother needs time. I’m asking you to give it to him. You know him. Read him. If he asks you to leave him alone you will.”

All three children nodded readily as Bruce stood up. “Good. Now I’m going to change and talk to Dick. There’s no patrol tonight. Barbara will take care of it. Tim, Jason I want you both to make sure homework is finished. The same with your assignments for today Cass. Then you can do what you’d like. Quietly.”

The children scattered and were gone as Bruce came back out minutes later in sweats to head upstairs straight to his eldest son’s room. Alfred was coming out with an empty tray as he entered.

“Hey chum.”

Dick looked up from the cookies and hot chocolate that were before him. He didn’t really meet Bruce’s eyes. Bruce took a seat next to him. “I’m not going to ask if you’re okay. Your team went through a lot today. I’m just going to tell you I’m here to talk when you’re ready.”

“Thanks,” Dick said running his thumb along the rim of his mug.

“You all watched as you lost everything. You don’t have to be okay. It’s alright to cry.”

“I’m not going to cry Bruce. I’ve lost everything before, I’ve watched it happen to you and everyone anytime I go under fear gas.”

“But this felt more real,” Bruce stated calmly.

“Not really. Even this time I knew that something was wrong. I felt it. The second J’onn arrived I realized. It’s not the same feeling as fear gas. That makes it all feel blurry, you’re frozen then, unable to do anything.” Dick looked up and took a deep breath. “Here it felt so real. But something was wrong. I didn’t feel upset. Not like I should.”

“Dick..”

“I didn’t mourn you Bruce. Maybe I was in shock or didn’t believe it. But I focused on the mission. So much I lied to my already grieving friends. I knew what I was doing Bruce. I went into it and I sacrificed them all. How are they ever going to forgive me?”

“If they’re your friends they will. The League has gotten mad at me many times for the calls I’ve made. Most the time they work out. But there will be times that it won’t. You just need to have faith that it’ll work. Your team will have to trust you, they’ll have to trust you made the decision for the best. “

Dick nodded. “I don’t know how it all felt so real but so fake. You all died in front of my eyes Bruce and I didn’t do a thing about it.”

“You got up and continued. You put everything else in front of you. You know people react in many ways. You don’t need to feel upset about that. You put the world first. Your team will forgive that and eventually so will you.”

Dick nodded and faked a yawn not meeting Bruce’s eyes again. “I think I need some rest.”

“Good night Dick. Just remember, I’m here if you need me,” Bruce said as he left shutting off the light. Dick sighed and turned over. No nightmares plagued him. Not like his friends. Instead the guilt ate away at him.

The difference was noticeable. He pushed around his cereal the next morning instead of eating it. Jason exchanged a worried look with Tim as Bruce watched with a frown. Cass’s eyebrows furrowed. The way she read bodies knew she knew how to read emotions much better than most others. But she didn’t know how to help.

It was five days before Bruce decided something needed to be done. Dick was back to acting normally at home. Mostly that was. With his siblings everything seemed fine but he had distanced himself from Bruce making him wonder what exactly had happened in that simulation.

With another look over recent footage showing the team barely talking even when they spent several afternoons in the cave Bruce made a decision and called Black Canary. She was a licensed therapist though she didn’t practice outside the League and hero world. She’d helped with Dick before. She could help the whole team now.

On the day that he had arranged for them to start meeting with her Bruce arrived in the cave a half an hour later than Robin to see Red Tornado, Captain Marvel and Martian Manhunter observing the security footage of the team.

**“How are they?”**

**“I am still shaken by what you and I wrought. One can only imagine how these youths fare.”**

**“I know our virtual reality training simulation went badly. But I’d hoped the team would have rallied by now.”**

**“Trauma tends to linger, as I know you know, my friend,”** J’onn said. Batman grumbled leveling a glare at the martian. The martian didn’t always have the best people skills but saying that hadn’t been the best thought. Trauma lingered but people moved on. Why hadn’t the kids?

He sighed and decided to move on. “ **Black Canary?”**

**“She has her work cut out for her.”**

Batman turned to look once more of the footage of the team and couldn’t help but hum in agreement. He interacted with all of these children more than most the League. He knew how to handle children better than most at this point having several himself now. And he’d like to say he knew the team pretty well too.

In fact reading the reports and talking with Black Canary later nothing surprised him. Wally was one of the easiest to figure out though he’d let Dinah talk it through with the boy. The speedster was in shock and denial. He’d forgiven Dick for the call he’d made. His own death hadn’t been what affected him. Rather it was Artemis’s and the false hope he’d given himself after that she was still there. Bruce was just thankful he didn’t have to deal with feelings and romance with Dick yet. He didn’t pity Barry once Wally realized what everyone else knew.

Kaldur was also easy to figure out. He’d had several one on one talks with the Atlantian as team leader. But being a leader and leaving your team on a mission like the one they had just thought they had experienced was not easy. It wasn’t an easy burden to lead a team. He’d thought to save the others and sacrifice himself but it wasn’t the way to end the battle and therefore he thought himself guilty for putting the others through the fight without a leader, for leaving it on the youngest’s shoulders to make the calls he couldn’t.

He hadn’t gotten a good read on Artemis yet but from what Oliver said the girl was afraid to ask and therefore open up. She shielded herself from emotion and sharing with her friends. She was scared of their judgment.

M’gann was easy to figure out. She was scared of herself. She was feeling guilty and she couldn’t help but feel everyone else’s pain. But she was too scared to do anything or even say anything even knowing the others didn’t blame her. Batman didn’t know what exactly it was the girl was hiding but he didn’t think she was a real threat, even with all her power.

Superboy had been one of the simplest reads. He had anger issues, that was more than clear. He’d been to happy to go forward and help the world. He hadn’t seemed traumatised by what happened but rather something else. Just afraid of what he’d actually felt, and therefore guilt. The teen just didn’t know how to express that except through anger. When he’d left on his sphere and dropped his comm Batman had known what he needed to do with a sigh.

What the clone needed was someone who understood. He needed someone to listen, to help with his anger, and what he needed most of all was to feel needed, wanted. He’d take him in himself but Cass was still adjusting. He had no room for another teen with such issues right now, no matter how much he wanted to help.

For now he’d let Black Canary take care of it. He’d let her do her role as the team’s mother for all of them. Except for Robin. He’d just been confused as to what to do for his oldest child and when Black Canary sat down with him after he hadn’t found it any more clear.

“Dick was one of the easiest to talk to,” she’d said. “Maybe because he knows me and has done this before. He opened up easily enough.”

“What can I do to help him?”

“From what he said you’ve already talked to him,” Dinah said with a raised eyebrow.

“He told me he was scared for not feeling when we died and for what the team would think of his choices.”

“He might have been but right now I think he’s a bit more scared of what he thinks of those choices. Dick was forced into the shoes of leader, a place he’s been preparing to take for a long time. I think being there might have scared him.”

“Dick’s wanted to lead the team for a long time,” Bruce said confused.

“I can’t tell you everything. He expressedly asked that I didn’t. But just make sure he isn’t pressured to fill anyone’s shoes or do anything. There’s a lot of expectations on him. There always have been. I think he’s finally realizing he doesn’t have to live up to them, or even try to if he doesn’t want too.”

“You think I’ve been putting to much pressure on him?”

“I think you should make sure you let him know that you want him to be him. That you trust him to make those choices, even if he isn’t ready to be leader you trust him to take a lead in his own life.”

“I will.”

\---------------------------------

 

Dick had gone home long before Bruce after Superboy returned with his new improved super cycle. His mentor had stayed to figure that out and talk with the others there and he’d returned home. The others were in the cave when he did, Barbara was already dressed for patrol and within minutes he had been too, ready to join her.

It was a quiet night. He’d sat with her on the ledge of one of their favorite building looking over the city when he had a big sigh. “Babs?”

“Yeah?” she asked surprised. Dick had been unusually quiet this week. She’d known what happened. Bruce had informed her after she’d done patrol herself that first night after the failed exercise and the two days after when Dick hadn’t come had told her more. He’d barely talked to her at school either.

And then suddenly there was a flood of words. Dick was taking everything off his chest and asking her to listen, to tell him what to do. She’d always tried to be there for her friend and most the time she could sympathize but now she had almost no clue what to do. But Dick needed her and so she’d do what she could.

 

\---------------------------------

 

Robin had arrived back and peeled the mask off his face to see Bruce working at the computer. He felt considerably better since talking to Barbara. He always did. He should have tried it since the beginning.

Bruce seemed to notice that he was feeling better too. He’d stopped typing and closed the files to turn and face Dick. “How was patrol?”

“Quiet. Babs and I sat at our spot for a bit to watch.”

“Good. I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Bruce said picking up on things in the special way no one else could. “But we still need to talk.”

“I’m fine now.”

“You said that before. And from what Canary said none of you or your teammates are exactly fine.”

“I’m better,” Dick amended.

“We still need to talk.”

“She didn’t tell you anything, did she?” asked Dick frantically.

“Not specifics. But she told me I should talk to you and made me realize a few things. I messed up with you the other night. I might have been messing up for a while.”

“What are you talking about?” Dick scowled. “You’re the best. I couldn’t ask for a better Dad.”

“I’m glad you think that. I can still mess up though. I need you to know I’m not perfect. I never have been.”

“Trust me. I know B,” Dick said with an eyeroll.

“Good. Because that means you don’t have to try and be perfect either. You don’t have to try and be like me or anyone else but yourself. I don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything to make me happy except be happy yourself. You don’t even have to be Robin if you don’t want too.”

“What? Of course I want to be Robin,” Dick protested.

“If that makes you happy then you can be Robin as long as you want. But being Robin has meant there’s a lot of expectations for you. So does being Dick Grayson. And I’m realizing I might have made you feel like you needed to meet them, no matter how much you hate them.”

“I don’t…..”

“You don’t have to be a hero, join the league or run the team to make me proud. Nor do you have to get the top grades and become one of the leading members in Wayne Enterprises. I just want you to do what makes you happy. That’s what will make me proud.”

“Even if I joined the League of Assasins?”

“That might not make me proud. But I’d still love you.”

“I wouldn’t. And I do want to be a hero and I still want to join the league and be a leader. I just know I’m not ready to yet, and that when I do it I’ll be doing it my way, not yours,” Dick said the last part and winced.

“I wouldn’t have you do it any other way.”

“Good. Because I especially won’t be joining Wayne Enterprises. Could you imagine me walking around in a suit all day going to board meetings? I have no clue how you do it.”

“I honestly don’t either.”

Dick smiled at that before becoming serious again. “I don’t know what Black Canary said but she was right. You both were. I needed to hear that.”

Bruce sighed in relief but Dick was still talking.

“I’ve wanted to be like you for a long time Bruce but I don’t think I can. I’ll still do all the hero stuff and that but I won’t be sacrificing my team or lying to them. Not if I don’t have too. I trust them.”

“You should. And you never had to try and be like me chum. All I want is for you to be you and to be happy.”

Dick nodded before hugging Bruce. “Dad?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks.”


	18. Halloween Meets and Treats

**Wayne Manor**

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**October 31st**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

 

_“You’re sure you don’t want to come to Happy Harbor tonight?”_ Wally asked. Dick was talking with him over a video conference and could see the older boy dressed as a werewolf.

“Nah. I already said I wasn’t. Plus we’re going trick or treating. Bruce made sure that Arkham has closed doors right now.”

Wally looked skeptical at that. “ _You’re sure?”_

“It’s Cass’s first time trick or treating. And I promised. Babs is coming too.”

“ _Fine. I hope there’s candy at this dance then. I mean we’re a bit too old for trick or treating but I miss the snacks.”_

‘You’re not running over here and getting mine.”

Wally groaned. _“Fine.”_

“Tell M’gann I’m sorry I can’t come. And thank Supey again for the shirt.”

Wally looked down at Dick and snorted. _“What? Bruce wouldn’t let you dress up as Superman again?”_

Dick glared. He’d done it when he was nine and maybe another year. Bruce wouldn’t let him be Batman but had regretted that decision when Dick had gone as Superman instead. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too upset that Dick had borrowed Superboy’s shirt. It was an easy costume and he hadn’t had a lot of time with everything the team was doing and making sure all the villians were away in Arkham before Halloween.

“Shut it. I thought about going as Harry Potter or something but this was easier.”

“ _Why Harry Potter? Is Babs going as Ginny?”_

Dick glared again. “No. Don’t you have to get to the cave?”

“ _Right. I have my own redhead to get too!”_

Dick rolled his eyes not believing that Wally still hadn’t managed to catch on. “Talk to you later then.”

He looked in the mirror again and mussed up his hair hoping it made him look a little more like Superboy. He usually didn’t wear his hair messy in public but no one would think to look for Robin wearing a superboy shirt.

Downstairs the house was decorated and Alfred was setting up the bowls of candy by the door for trick or treating. Full-sized. Dick knew it would be heavily guarded so he couldn’t snatch any. Jason was getting a disappointed look right now for trying.

His younger brother was dressed up as Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender. His eye looked very realistically burned thanks to Alfred and the way Jason was yelling right now Dick could almost believe he was the character.

“You’ll get candy when you go tick or treating.”

“Yeah. But we’re the only house that gives full size bars.”

“If there’s any when your return you may have some then.”

Jason seemed to be skeptical of this but was distracted when Clark and Bruce walked out of the office. Clark paused for a moment upon seeing Dick then sighed. “Oh. It’s just you Dick.”

“Yeah. Connor let me borrow one of his shirts.”

“Didn’t want to be Superman again?”

Bruce glared at Clark upon that question and Dick did too. “No.”

Clark winced. The family had been unusually rude to him since the discovery of Superboy though they were at least talking to him now. “I just came to check and see how the pumpkins turned out.”

Every year the Waynes got pumpkins from the Kent farm. Clark delivered them and Dick had carved one every year he lived in the manor. It got more messy since he had siblings. Jason had started to throw the guts at Tim and when Dick had told him to stop he’d also gotten some thrown at him. There had been an all out pumpkin gut fight in the end with all of them covered in the gunk in the end. Alfred hadn’t been too happy cleaning that up.

The pumpkins were a huge part of the decorations they’d put up over the last few days. There were fake spiderwebs and skeletons on the lawn as well as some graves. Dick and Jason had taken some of the bat poop and put them their to make it especially real, not that Alfred or Bruce knew. They had caught them trying to take some of the bats outside. That hadn’t worked out.

Cass came over then and pulled Clark over to see her pumpkin. She’d gone for a simple scary face. “It’s looks nice. Almost as good as you.”

Cass beamed at Clark’s compliment and twirled in her ballerina dress. She’d been wanting to learn for a while since Barbara had told her about dancing. The other girl had danced before she’d gotten more into gymnastics and martial arts. Bruce was smiling down at her too and he knew Cass would get her wish for dancing lessons soon enough.

“What did you carve Jason?”

“A skeleton.”

“I did a bat! And a cat!” Tim said excitedly as he came in with Ace. The dog was dressed as the Starship enterprise. Tim himself was Spock.

“I see. It looks good.”

“You kids should head out,” Bruce interrupted. “Barbara should be here soon. Shouldn’t she?”

“Actually I’m not Barbara.” The voice came from behind Bruce where the red hood stood in a red coat and a red fedora. “And no one actually knows where I am.”

Dick snorted. Where in the world was Carmen Sandiego? It wasn’t that funny but Babs looked good.

“Come. One picture with all of you before you leave.”

“But the candy—”

“We should go.”

“Do we have to?”

“One picture,” Alfred said again. He was wearing bunny ears under Cass and Tim’s insistence he wear a costume. Bruce had gotten out of it saying he’d wear the bat suit later. He had a meeting with Robin at Mt. Justice.

The kids shuffled over for a picture, Dick and Jason shoving each other and complaining as they did. When they left it was still early, before six and therefore still light outside. But in Gotham trick or treating in the dark was just asking for it.

Wayne Manor was a bit far from most of the city but there other rich houses nearby and a nicer area of the city. They stayed there for the few hours they were trick or treating walking from building to building and filling their bags and buckets with candy eating some now. Who knew how much Alfred would let them have?

Jason kept running ahead or sneaking off behind in an attempt to scare them. He also saw a house that had been egged and toilet papered and insisted they do it to the manor.

“Do you want to have to clean it all? And the entire batcave for several weeks?” Dick asked him.

Jason hadn’t asked again. Though he’d kept trying to scare everyone. Dick decided they were done for the night when Jason finally succeeded in making Tim cry. Though before Alfred had arrived Cass had managed to disappear and reappear with a mask behind Jason. Dick had no clue where she’d gotten it but seeing Jason scared out of his mind like that had been hilarious.

On their way home Barbara had been dropped off back at her apartment for the night. Her father was at work and Dick wasn’t surprised to see Batgirl leaping across a roof as they drove away. Someone needed to patrol on Halloween.

“How was your trick or treating?” When they’d all assured him they had a good time Alfred nodded. “Very well. If you’d all hand up your bags. I believe you’ve all eaten enough candy tonight. You may have the rest at a later time.”

“But—“

“I want to eat it now.”

“Please.”

“You may have a chocolate bar each from the ones at the manor. The full-size ones. But you will get sick eating this all tonight.”

That stopped the protest but by the look on Jason’s place he was obviously plotting. Dick nudged him.

“What?”

“ _Wait for me,”_ he mouthed.

“Fine.”

Bruce was already waiting for them when they got back, or more accurately waiting for Dick. “They’re waiting.”

“Already?”

“Let’s go. The rest of you go to bed.”

“But it’s Halloween,” Tim said.

“Movies,” Jason pleaded. Cass looked between them and pulled out her puppy dog eyes as well.

“Fine. Until we get back.”

“Yes!”

“Let’s watch Charlie Brown!”

“Nah. Friday the 13th. Or Halloween. Something like that.”

“You won’t be watching anything like that.”

“How about A Nightmare before Christmas?” Dick suggested before Jason could protest. “And Charlie Brown. Cass needs to see it. It’s a classic.”

“But we get to watch both,” Jason said.

“You can watch both,” Bruce agreed. “Go get into PJs. Alfred will give you the candy you were promised too.”

The three kids ran upstairs. Dick grabbed a large Hershey’s cookies and Cream bar and followed Bruce down to the batcave where they quickly changed and zetaed to Mt. Justice. He made sure to bring Connor’s shirt with him as well.

Together they walked into the room they used for sessions with Black Canary. Robin took a seat though everyone else stood. He wanted to laugh at them for always being so tense. Red Tornado even had his arms crossed.

**“I’ll cut to it. Do we believe there’s a mole within the team?”**

At Batman’s question Aqualad stepped forward. Robin craned his neck and looked behind him as the team leader spoke. **“I am convinced there is none. When Sportsmaster claimed he had an inside source he was merely sowing dissent.” “His intel could easily have come by comparing notes with the other villians working for the injustice league.”** Robin put his arms behind his head as he crossed his leg with a grin. **“And think about it, if anyone on the team was working with those creepoids…**

**“He or she would have betrayed us during our fight against them,”** Aqualad finished for him.

Roy scowled. **“I’m not convinced. Sure, you two and Kid Flash are above suspicion but I know Artemis isn’t shooting straight.”**

Robin snickered a little at the unintentional pun but Roy was still talking.

**“For starters, she’s not Green Arrow’s niece.”**

Aqualad leaned forward surprised. **“What?”**

**“Well, yeah,”** Robin said looking up at him and sitting forward. “ **In fact she’s related to—“**

**“Enough,”** Batman said. He had walked forward and now had a hand on Robin’s shoulder. **“Artemis’s relations may indeed make her suspect but she’s still entitled to a secret identity. I’m more concerned about Superboy. We still know very little about what Cadmus programmed into their weapon. Connor could be the mole and not even know it.”**

**“And what about Miss Martian? She is Manhunter’s niece. But he told Black Canary he has a few hundred nieces and nephews. And the first time he met M’gann was five months ago when she stowed away on his last trip from Mars to Earth.”**

Robin couldn’t help but be thankful when Aqualad stopped Roy who had seemed to be more aggressive with each statement.

**“This changes nothing.”** He crossed his arms and looked straight at Roy. **“I have fought side by side with these people. None are traitors.”**

Robin slumped and sighed. Kaldur was right. Though M’gann was definitely still hiding something she wasn’t going to betray them. Artemis was too open and emotional, though she still had her secrets she hid them for a reason, a good one. Connor also wouldn’t betray them though Bruce was right about programming from Cadmus. That was the only concern he still had. Right now he was more upset about the way Roy was acting. At least Kaldur was defending them. Even though he now knew that Artemis was hiding something as well. But he seemed to believe if Batman and the League knew and still trusted her there was no issue with it.

Batman shared a few more words with Red Tornado before walking over to Robin. “You ready?”

Robin looked over at Roy one more time and frowned. “Yeah. Just one more thing.”

He grabbed the shirt on another chair and passed it to Kaldur. “Put this back in Connor’s room or something. Tell him I said thanks again. There’s a note too to tell him so don’t lose it.”

Kaldur nodded. Robin followed Batman back out and through the Zeta tubes back home. It was time to join his siblings and put a heist into action.

______________________________

 

Dick groaned on his stomach. Maybe they shouldn’t have taken all the candy. Cass had taken a few pieces from her and fallen asleep as she watched her brothers have a contest eating as much chocolate as they could. Jason and Tim both had stains on their faces and the youngest was asleep. Jason was curled up and holding with his stomach. “More?”

“Are you insane?” Dick asked him groaning as he tried to sit up. “We still need to get rid of the evidence.”

“Oh man. Dad’s gonna kill us.”

“Dad? What about Alfred?”


	19. Chapter 19: Separated and Complicated

 

**Wayne Manor**

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**November 5 th**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

Bruce Wayne didn’t know the meaning of a relaxing weekend. It was something his older children liked to groan about but if he was anything it was efficient (he’d been raised by Alfred after all.) Time away from school and work never meant free time. Most children came home on Friday and relaxed, but for the children in Wayne Manor it was a different story.

Most the time, unless there were special circumstances, Friday night was the one time they were all allowed to stay up for patrol. That was after they’d finished homework that afternoon. In the past months Dick had nearly always disappeared to Mt. Justice on Saturday. The times that Bruce wasn’t also gone with the League or busy with other Batman stuff were special training days. New techniques were taught, old ones were drilled, and as always there was sparring.

All the work didn’t mean that the kids hated the weekends. In fact, they loved them. Their dad was often busy and so it was the time they were all able to be together as a family. Bruce often tried to take them on trips and made training exercises out of outings to parks, museums and going around Gotham.

Right now he was counting down the hours till he could be at home with his kids. He’d finished work at Wayne Enterprises late today. So late that he’d missed dinner and had to come straight to the mountain where he met Robin. It was finally completely repaired from the previous few incidents. Today was restocking, training and some meetings with the mentors. Zatara had come too and the hope was to convince him to let Zatanna join the team.

He’d brought up the question as they unloaded the bioship. Zatara had only met his eyes and sighed. **_“I do not know. Zatanna’s so….my only child. I wish I could get used to the idea that she’s, uh, growing up.”_**

His own eyes looked toward Dick. When he’d first adopted the boy Zatara had been some of the biggest help. He’d mentored Bruce years previously in his travels. He’d been raising his own daughter single handedly for years and when Alfred couldn’t help or even Jim Gordon then Zatara was the next he called.

It was hard to think that the children were already teenagers. Zatara’s words ran over in his mind several times as he thought about it. The magician was right that them growing up was hard. And it must have been even harder for him. Bruce hadn’t raised any of his kids or even met them before the age of around six. To have the baby who was in your arms be standing as an adult must be even harder to process. He also still had three other children who had yet to become teenagers.

He was about to open his mouth with the answer he’d formulated when there was a flash of light. The children had disappeared. Zatara yelled his daughter’s name as Batman kept himself from screaming himself.

His communicator beeped and he almost ignored it as his mind raced as to where all the missing children could be. With a hand to his ear he ignored Zatara’s panicked looks and rambling spells to hear Alfred’s own worried voice.

“Master Bruce!”

“Agent A. What’s wrong?”

“The children! They were all here in the cave and they’ve disappeared! All of them.”

“The same thing’s happened at the mountain,” Bruce said clenching his fists. “The whole team disappeared.”

“Dear lord.”

“Don’t worry Alfred. We’ll get them back.”

“I shall start on my own investigation,” Alfred said quickly and hung up.

Bruce looked over to see Zatara meeting his eyes worriedly. “There are traces of magic where’ve they disappeared. It was not only the team?”

“Agent A said all of them disappeared from the cave.”

“We’ll find them my friend,” Zatara said determinedly as Red Tornado returned to the room. “All of our children. These villians should know better than to use them against us.”

Around the room screens, reports and footage jumped to life as Red Tornado seemed to clear his throat. Both of the other men’s eyes flickered across the screen as the robot spoke. “It is not only children from the hero community. Any human under eighteen has disappeared.”

Zatara’s green eyes flickered and Bruce had to restrain himself from throwing a punch too. It wasn’t Red Tornado’s fault he was a robot and there fore devoid of any emotional programming and worry in his voice. He couldn’t be a parent and couldn’t feel the things they were feeling when they wanted to find their children. He met Zatara’s eye with understanding. “Get to work. The sooner we know what’s happening the sooner we get them back.”

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

Being a superhero for a good part of his life meant Robin didn’t panic at strange situations like most people. Still, it was fairly terrifying when three adults dissolved right in front of your eyes. Immediatley he’d felt the whole team stiffen up and put themselves on guard.

Kaldur’s eyes swept the room and with a water bearer gripped in one hand he called to M’gann. “Do you sense anyone in the cave? Robin, check the footage and sensors.”

His fingers swept through the codes quickly and he barely heard M’gann confirm they were alone as he added his own useless information. Kaldur looked around again and they all put themselves a little more on guard. All of them but Wally who yelped. “It’s got to be an attack on the League.”

“That is the most plausible idea,” agreed Kaldur as his lips thinned into what they all recognized as his thinking face. “But—”

Robin didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. He walked out of the main bay to connect to the computer node in the lounge. As his wrist computer popped up and started to glow he was interrupted by a ring from the extra communicator in his pocket with channels the team had no access too. 

Pushing it into his ear he answered the ringing communicator.

“Robin?” Jason’s voice came over the communicator.

“What’s wrong?” Robin asked suddenly even tenser then before. It might just be Jason calling to complain they weren’t home yet.

Tim’s wailing in the background dissuaded that notion. “Agent A disappeared!”

“He just dissolved,” Jason agreed. “Like in a poof he was gone. Here one second, gone the next.”

“It’s happened here too,” Robin said in an oddly even tone. “The team will take care of it. Just wait where you are for now. It’s probably an attack on the League and their allies. If they know about Agent A then it’s even worse. ”

“Why are you talking with codenames? The channels secure. Did you answer in front of the team?” Jason yelped. Then he adopted an evil tone. “Dad’s gonna be pissed.”

“No. I’m in the mountain. I should be on guard no matter what,” Robin sighed and quickly changing the topic. “You were ready for tonight?”

They were all good enough at picking up the messages that weren’t there to understand the words between the lines of this conversation. It was what the other Leaguer’s called batspeak. Tim answered in the affirmative.

“Then just wait. It’ll be fixed soon,” he promised. “Jason, you’re in charge. Tim and Cass, stop him from doing anything stupid. Jason, listen to them. I need to you to work together. Start thinking about who could have done this. And stay in the cave.”

 With the final warning he hung up. He returned to the team and met their confused eyes.

“Where were you?” Artemis demanded.

He shrugged with a small smirk, “A call. It’s not just the League but some of their allies too.”

“On a comm?” Zatanna asked incredulously.

“I adapted this one to get my phone calls too,” Robin explained. Just then the comm rang again. He pushed it back into his ear and answered.

“Where’s Batman?” Barbara’s voice demanded. “He’s not answering his comm.”

 “He’s disappeared. So did Zatara and Red Tornado,” Robin replied ignoring the slightly panicked and questioning looks. Wally’s eyes widened comically as he realized who Robin might be talking too.

“And I’m guessing Agent A?” Barbara asked.

“How’d you know?”

Barbara let out a small string of curses, which made him almost pull out the comm in shock. “Seriously, what’s up?”

“Dad just disappeared too. We were having a movie night before he had to return for another shift and I was going to leave for patrol. He disappeared from the couch,” Barbara said looking at the broken hot chocolate mug on the floor in front of her.

“I want to say it’s just the adults in law enforcement, all the League’s allies, but that’s unlikely. Go meet the others. Leave right now.”

“Zetas?”

“It’ll be fastest,” Robin answered. “I’ll be in touch soon.”

There was a click as Barbara hung up. Kaldur frowned. “Who was that? You would not usually answer something in the middle of an emergency.”

“It was just a friend from Gotham. She’s panicking because her dad disappeared,” Robin explained. He looked toward Kaldur. “It does confirm one thing though. This isn’t just the League’s problem. Adults are disappearing. My guess is all over the world.”

Everyone paled and looked at him wide eyed, except Kaldur. The Atlantians eyes were narrowed and he looked around them before his eyes met Robin’s again. “See what you can find. Zatanna help him. Kid Flash and I will suit up.”

“What about me?” Artemis demanded with hands on her hips. She hated to be left out of missions.

“If Robin’s suspicion is correct you might be more useful in your civilian ID at the moment.”

Artemis frowned but didn’t argue.

Wally had already raced back in full costume. The screens in front of Robin and Zatanna were glowing and the words appearing and moving away rapidly as Robin read.

“There’s no news from official channels. Teens are posting on social media though. This is just Happy Harbor and the east coast,” Robin said pointing at the words in front of him.

“Continue searching. I want you and Zatanna to run Comms and find the cause. Expand your search around the world and find out if there are any adults left,” Kaldur commanded. Robin nodded and sent a look to Zatanna who started to work on the screens in front of her. He then turned to M’gann and Conner. “Both of you start patrolling Happy Harbor. Set up a shelter in the High School. Call your friends. Get them and the other older teens to help. Artemis and Wally do the same with your friends.”

“What do you want us to do after?” Wally asked.

“You will retrieve kids and bring them to shelter. Robin, send Wally to wherever he’s most needed. For now start with Connor and M’gann in Happy Harbor.”

“So what about me?” Artemis demanded.

“You need to help run the shelter,” Kaldur said.

“But I don’t know anything about watching kids!” Artemis protested. She looked around frantically. “What about Zatanna?”

“Only child, remember?” she laughed. “And I’ve never babysat either.”

“You’ll do fine Artemis,” M’gann encouraged. “I watched a lot of my little siblings and cousins all the time on Mars.”

“So you do it!”

“She is more effective flying around cloaked,” Kaldur interrupted. “It’s only until we find out the cause of this. Then you will be needed with the team.”

“Fine,” she huffed walking toward the bioship with M’gann and Connor.  

Robin smirked. “It’s okay Artemis. Being angry and scared will just make them more upset. It’s really not as hard as you’d think.”

“You would know,” Wally quipped.

“What does that mean?” Zatanna asked.

“Nothing,” both replied. Wally rushed out a second later as Robin turned his glare onto him. His wrist computer was still up. Around him he started to pull up the other displays so he and Zatanna could run the comms.

“You start monitoring the media. I know how to look at the traffic cams and find the hot spots. So I’ll do that.”

Zatanna nodded quickly getting to work. He pulled up a map from all over the world, tracking Wally and the other’s movements. “Supey, use your thermal vision to start finding any place where there might have been a fire left on and just a kid home alone. M’gann, keep everyone safe and send people towards a place to gather. Wally, I’d start looking at cars if I were you. If everyone else could do that as they move from place to place that would be great.”

There was a quick affirmative over the comms. Zatanna made a few noises. “Uh, Robin. It looks like your theory was right.”

“I’ll start to try and contact anyone else I can. We’ll need all the help I can get.”

He made a show of trying to open a comm-line to the Watchtower, then the Batcave and other adult heroes. Meanwhile, he was able to quickly open up another decrypted channel to send a message to Barbara.

 ‘ _You with the others?’_

_‘They’re out here with me, or were. I’m going to check on the school and see if people are showing up there.’_

_‘You left them alone?’_

_‘It’s Friday. You know the rules. They can be out. And if there’s no adults its not like J or 2Face are gonna show up.’_

_‘Fine. But go back and be with them if you can.’_

_‘Hope you don’t mind Hood stealing your bike for the night.’_

_‘Ugh. Just make sure he doesn’t wreck it.’_

_‘Get back to work. Let me know if you need something here.’_

_‘Nah, you’ll have it taken care of.’_

 Zatanna walked over to ask him a question and he quickly got rid of the messages before she saw. Both of them were working hard with puzzled expressions for the next few minutes. He’d shown her how to send a message out every computer and tv to tell them to set up a refuge center in their towns. Wally had been running from place to place to check that it was happening smoothly.

_“Think I got the last of the kids in houses in Happy Harbor,”_ Connor’s voice crackled.

“ ** _Well, we’ve set up a refugee at the High School gym,”_** Wally explained. “ ** _Any luck with—”_**

**_“No. Can’t reach the Batcave, the Hall of Justice or the Watch—or any adult hero. Even Red Arrow.”_ **

He knew Wally would catch the usage of the world adult in that sentence. Meaning that his own siblings and the other kid heroes he knew about had been notified and sent out to help. Not that most of the others would catch it. The most likely too was Kaldur, he’d seemed to think there was somethings Robin was hiding besides his name at time and had almost caught his and Wally’s discussions several times but he would be too busy now to investigate.

**_“Looks like we’re on our own. Kid Flash out.”_ **

Zatanna continued to update him on the situation, of all the kids around the world posting online about adults disappearing. She was clearly nervous and scared, something he’d had plenty of experience with. But now he needed her to focus and help them, if this was magic she might be the only one who could help. He pulled up a video of her dad using a locator spell and asked if she could do it.

The question just made her seem even more nervous with a stuttered excuse of how it took training and that she just wasn’t ready. With a deep breath Dick looked at her like he would one of his younger siblings when they needed a pep talk. Not that he wanted to think of her that way. She was cute, but in a much different way. He’d avoided telling Barbara much about her and held up the hope that maybe if the girl he was dating wasn’t another bat, though not his first choice, Bruce might let them go out. He bit his lip again and sighed.

**_“I know it’s hard. But try to stay whelmed. We’ll find your dad, Batman, all of them. That’s what we do.”_ **

She gave him a sweet look and he groaned. This wasn’t the time. And he wasn’t sure, was she just being sweet like always or was it more? It wasn’t like he could ask any of the usual people he went to for advice on this, Bruce, Barbara, Wally, Roy, Kaldur, all off limits. He sighed and got back to work when suddenly he got another idea.

“Hey, Kaldur, Wally, you think both of you could get back here? I think us those of us that already have some starpower should use it.”

 

____________________________________________________

 

Jason had dropped stopped several more gang members from hurting kids in the narrows when he heard a familiar voice as he dropped the kids off in one of the safe dens he knew. All the kids were crowded around the TV, looking up at it in awe with hopeful faces, or as hopeful as faces could get in Gotham.

**_“We are using Justice League technology to cast and stream to every TV, Radio, Computer  and Smartphone on the planet,”_** came his brothers voice from the fuzzy broadcast.

**_“We know you must be scared and angry. We know with your parents missing there must be a temptation to run wild but please, stay calm.”_ **

Luckily no one heard Red Hood snorting in amusement as they all tried to hide their own as well. Maybe that might work in other places, but this was Gotham, not that Kid Flash would know. He’d have to talk to Dickhead about that later, Jason noted as the speech continued.

**_“We will find a way to bring the adults back, but for now, the oldest among you must step up.”_ **

As Aqualad finished talking Jason observed his older brother give a secret grin and stand a little straighter looking right at the camera. Somehow he knew that his brothers and sister would see this. **_“Take care of your younger siblings. Take care of kids who have no one. Protect them.”_**

**_“It’s up to you,”_** Aqualad’s voice finished. **_“Please, help in anyway you can.”_**

As it finished Red Hood  ran out of the shelter and right into Black Bat, who was signing Dick’s name.

“Yeah, I saw.”

“ _Are you guys talking about the broadcast?”_ crackled Red Robin’s voice.

_“_ I think it’s his mission of the day to let the whole world know about us. The Old Man’s gonna be really mad when he gets back,” Red Hood smirked, trying not to feel a little guilty as his sister frowned at him.

“ _You know,”_ came their older brother’s voice, “ _I’m still on this channel. I can hear all of this. And I have Babs to back me up.”_

“Really?” Jason said starting to let out an impressive stream of curse words. “Aren’t you still at the cave?”

_“In my room that not even a kryptonian can hear into now. We’re getting ready to go. Zatanna’s gonna try locating the source.”_

_“You’re going to bring Dad back?”_ Tim’s voice pleaded.

“ _We’re going to try. Okay? I’m your older brother and like I said. That means I have to look after you all. I’m turning this Comm down but you can reach me with the emergency signal if you need to. Now get back to work.”_

Black Bat looked at him and with a bounce in her step grappled away, Red Hood sighed and quickly followed. He was the older brother too. She might be a better fighter than him but he was going to look after her right now. And the Replacement when they caught up with him.

__________________________________________

 

After helping dispatch the League and pulling in all the help he could get all Bruce wanted to do was find a place to be alone. He’d managed to go into Dick’s room at the mountain for a few minutes but it was bare of most personal things, except a picture of him, Roy, Wally and Kaldur on the first time anyone had seen all the sidekicks together, and another of him and Batman. Mostly it was empty, so there would be no trace or hint of who the boy under the mask was.

Yet, looking around Bruce could feel the traces of his oldest son. He remembered the days they’d come here when the League used this place as headquarters like yesterday. Sometime he’d lie Dick down for a nap in here or for an early night as he had a meeting. This had been his room but he’d never really slept in it. Only his son.

How he missed him. All of his kids. He sighed. He even missed Barbara and the team, probably almost as their parents did. He’d gone to help stop a riot at Star Labs with Gordon. After the Commisioner had approached him and asked how close the League was to solving all of this. He wanted to get back to the night he had planned with his daughter, not that there was much left of it. Bruce had wanted to say something about how he knew Barbara could take care of herself, but he was unable too.

His kids needed him to get back to them. What would they be doing? He’d disappeared from the cave with Zatara leaving Dick to take care of a world crumbling without adults. He was the best equipped out of the team, but he would also be worrying about his younger siblings, as Bruce was worrying about his children now. Dick could take care of them. He knew that, but he still needed to take care of Dick. He wasn’t ready for his son to grow up that much. All he wanted was all his children back safe in his arms.

Somehow he found the strength to get up, finding Zatara in Kid Flash’s souvenir room, staring at the helmet of fate. He approached silently, but as always Zatara knew he was there. **“So, how desperate are we?”**

**“I informed the watchtower you located the focal point at Roanoake. But the rest of the League is averted to deploy the chaos. Tornado, you and I are on our own.”**

**“I would do anything to get my daughter back.”**

There was another second of empty silence. **_“_ Yes. But we both know there are many ways for her to lose her.”**

Zatara met his eyes and looked back at the helmet knowing exactly what the man next to him was thinking. The helmet was here with them but also with the children. They weren’t feeling that desperate yet, but were their kids? Dick or Zatanna putting it on would mean losing them forever. Nabu wasn’t likely to let anyone else go like he had Kaldur or Wally. And the both of the wearing that helmet would tear them away from their children as well, just as much as this magical rift was doing at the moment.

**“So, not that desperate. Not yet. The Entire league is unavailable?”**

**“Except perhaps for Captain Marvel, he’s missing.”**

Zatara didn’t question the way Batman almost seemed to be hopeful with that statement. The League needed all hands on deck, but Batman was known for planning ahead and being on top of the situation. He likely knew something no one else did. Maybe something about Captain Marvel that could help bring their children back.

 Batman and Zatara were talking and waiting for Zatara when Captain Marvel arrived. Batman’s mouth twitched as the hero did a double take in confusion.

**“Alright guys, I’m here to… You’re back! Is it over? Where’s the team?”**

Zatara scowled furiously making Marvel put them down from the uncomfortable bone crushing hug he pulled them into. If Batman didn’t know what he did he would be planning his revenge on the other leaguer later. But for now he interrupted Zatara mid complaint.

**“Haven’t you heard? Every child in the world has—”**

**“Zatara, wait.  Captain, where have you been?”**

Bruce could only smirk and feel his chest lighten up as Marvel confirmed his theory and what he’d known for as long as the other hero had been around. **“On a world without Grown ups! Holy Moly! There are two worlds!”**

**“Two dimensions. One for adults-”**

**“-And one for kids.”**

**“And you can travel between them?”** Zatara questioned.

**“I think I can. I know I can,”** the hero cried out confidently. **“Shazam!”**

Bruce and Zatara were left looking at an empty spot. The magician’s eyes widened in shock but he just sighed when he saw his companion had no reaction. “You knew?”

“I had a theory.”

“So you knew.”

“That Captain Marvel isn’t what he seems? That’s obvious to anyone who really takes the time to observe.”

“But how?”

“Later. Focus on getting back the kids.”

Captain Marvel reappeared again suddenly in a flash of lightning. “They’re all in the cave. Planning. Took a little convinicing.”

“I can’t imagine most of the team would want to listen to a ten year old,” Batman commented.

“That’s what Robin said too!” Captain Marvel exclaimed in excitement.

Inwardly he felt a breath of hope rush over him at the assurance that Robin, that all of his kids, ten and younger were alive and well. “We need you to carry messages back and forth. We need to be able to know what we’re going against and who’s helping us.”

_______________________________

 

Barbara almost laughed with the relief she felt when she got Dick’s message on her phone. The adults were alive. Seperated on a dimensional plane but alive. She finished putting the food on a plate and was walking back to the room with the kids when Tim suddenly appeared next to her in civilian clothes.

“What are you doing here?”

“You saw? He heard from Dad!”

“I know.”

“Do you know how?”

“I’m sure they’ll tell us later. Now we both need to get to work. Robin and our Dad’s wouldn’t want us to stop. Remember, make sure Jay doesn’t get into too much trouble.”

“He won’t listen!”

“Try. And you always have Cass.”

A grin spread across Tim’s face as he disappeared and Barabara went back to everyone else.

 

________________________________

 

The moment they arrived he wasn’t very happy. He hated facing magic users, even though it was a part of the job. And there wasn’t just one of them but four, which meant the children were facing the fifth, and possibly the most dangerous, Klarion.

For a moment he’d thought they’d almost won, that they’d managed to beat them. The spell Zatara had cast seemed to drain the magicians and the world flickered but only for a moment. Immediatley he jumped back into the fight with Tornado, but could still Zatara talking to Marvel out of the corner of his eye, with the boy disappearing a moment later. His eyes narrowed and he reinforced himself with the determination to get back to his kids before anything bad could happen. He had warned Robin about the Helmet, but to save the world, to save his friends, his son was the type of person who would easily sacrifice himself like that.

________________________________

 

Robin heard Aqualad, then Kid Flash yell Zatanna’s name. He groaned pulling himself up just in time to see the girl don the helmet of fate. That had been his next thought, he knew how dangerous it was. He knew how much Bruce had told him to stay away, but now he wouldn’t have to. There was no way Nabu would let Zatanna go. Robin channeled the grief and guilt jumping back into the fight, and hopefully finding a way into his father’s arms.

________________________________

 

 

It was when he saw Captain Marvel reappear next to Zatara that he knew. One of the children had put on the helmet. An image of Fate flickering over them a moment later confirmed that, though it was impossible to see who wore the helmet. Marvel dove towards the floor and immediately he understood the plan. Batman did his best to help Tornado and Zatara distract the magic users as Marvel tunneled from under them to the source of the spell.

He reappeared with the stone in his hand, throwing it to Zatara who cast a spell. Suddenly Klarion was with the other magician’s, chained in one of Fate’s Ankh’s, though he quickly disappeared with his cat, who had been attacking Superboy. Batman looked around taking an account of the other kids, sighing at relief but feeling for his friend when it was Zatanna in the helmet and not his son. Robin was relocating his shoulder and groaning.

**“Did we win?”**

**“At a cost.”**

The scene continued to unfold in front of them. It was painful to watch Zatara bargain for his daughter’s freedom in exchange for his own. The girl’s relief had been palpable when she took off the helmet to hug him, but his face had been grieved. When one of Batman’s, Bruce’s, oldest friends turned to him, he knew what Zatara would be asking.

**“Take care of my girl.”**

**“You have my word.”**

Robin seemed to realize what was happening and ran over to the girl’s side, holding her back as she pleaded for her father to stop. But it was too late, he had put on the helmet, leaving a shell-shocked daughter collapsing to her knees. Wordlessly Robin sought out Batman’s eyes communicating what he felt. The father did his best to assure his son with a look but there was nothing he could do.

 


	20. Chapter 20: Parents and Moments

 

**Wayne Manor**

**Gotham**

**Year 2010**

**November 6 th**

**Jason is 11**

**Cass is 9**

**Tim is 8**

**Robin is 13**

**Batgirl is 14**

**Batman is 30**

When suddenly all of the phones in the room went off everyone’s faces lit up. Parents were talking to their children, reassuring each other they were safe and okay. Barbara had opened her phone the moment it rang, not daring to hope it could be her father.

“Barbara?”

“Daddy?”

“Where are you?”

“At the gym. We set up a refuge center here for everyone. Do you think you can find a way so all the parents in Gotham know? Most of the children under ten are here.”

“I’ll come get you soon. I know this isn’t how you wanted to spend the night.”

“It’s fine. We’ll watch our movie another time. I’m just glad you’re back.”

“I’m so proud of you for doing all this. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Kids were coming up and pulling on her arm and skirt. Some parents had already started to arrive, giving their phones to kids to let them call their own parents. Barbara sat down with the younger kids in front of her and got them to quiet down. “Now. One at a time. Raise your hand if you know your mommy or daddy’s phone number.”

Later on, as her father finally arrived, she smiled inwardly and remembered she’d have to make sure to thank Dick and Wally later. And to get the full story. For now she’d breathe in the scent of her father’s cologne and cigar, the smell of safe and home. Feeling his moustache and beard scratch her skin as he kissed her head. Knowing her father was back, and he was here to take care of her as he always promised he’d be.

_____________________________________________

 

When adults started to suddenly pop up in the streets again the Bats retreated into the shadows. On a nearby roof the three kids met up. Red Hood was the one to break the silence.

“Think it was the team?”

“Or the League, if it was in the adult dimension,” Red Robin theorized. “Probably both.”

“So then Dad’s back!”

“ _Alfred.”_ Cass signed the letter A, and the sign for caregiver, which they used as the name sign for Alfred, that or the word Grandpa.

“Race you home?”

“You’re the one who got Robin’s bike. You take it back. We’ll zeta.”

“Meet you there,” Red Hood said jumping off the roof. The sound of the bike was heard a second later. Black Bat disappeared next leaving Red Robin to try and catch up.

________________________________

 

Bruce sighed as he sat in his room in the watchtower. The team and Zatanna had been brought back to the cave. Each of the mentors had rushed over to check on the children. Arrow and Canary worrying over Artemis and Superboy, the latter of which was blushing. The first of which was annoyed but pleased with the attention from her mentor. He then escorted her back to her mother in Gotham while and an emergency meeting had been called to discuss what they should do with Zatanna next. While Black Canary debriefed with Superboy.

M’gann had flown into her Uncle’s arms as soon as he came in. Knowing how much seeing all the reunions would hurt the girl Batman had given Robin a curt nod and he’d escorted Zatanna towards another room. Flash arrived seconds later pulling his nephew into a tight hug.

“Thank goodness. Iris and I had been going insane.”

“Like I wasn’t either? But it’s okay. I’m fine.”

Both of them went into speed talk. Barry was obviously making sure his nephew was okay and still hadn’t completely let go, grasping his shoulder. He’d been informed of the League meeting then run off to take Wally home. Now assured the kids were alright and would be okay without them the League members disappeared to the watchtower. As they waited for everyone else Batman retreated to his room.  

“Batman to Batcave.”

“ _Master Bruce! I was just about to call.”_

“The children. They’re back?”

_“You’ve fixed it?”_

“You mean they aren’t back?” Bruce demanded.

“ _Stay calm. I’m sure the children are just doing what they were trained to do. Helping the citizens of Gotham in time of need.”_

_“Make you proud, Old Man?”_ Red Hood’s voice came over the comms.

“Jason,” Bruce almost gasped in relief.

“ _Yeah. I’m driving the bike back home. Double R and B are zetaing. Are you coming back?_ ”

“Not until tomorrow. Robin and I…. Something happened that we’re both needed to handle here.”

Jason’s voice went quiet. After a pause it came back up. “ _Missed you, Dad.”_

Bruce sighed as the comm hung up and looked at the picture in his room of his family, a training day in the watchtower, all of them wearing smile’s and even the corner of his mouth had been twitching due too. The glimmer was still visible in Jason’s eye as he stood straighter with pride after finally beating Black Canary in a fight and getting to train with both Wonder Woman and his father. It was Tim and Cass’s first time there that night. Both had eyes filled with wonder and matching grins filled Barbara and Dick’s faces.  Bruce been looking forward to a night with his kids. That wasn’t what he’d gotten.

____________________________________

 

In the cave Robin sat waiting. M’gann and Artemis were with Zatanna comforting her. Artemis had returned after quickly going to reassure her mother and let her know what was happening. She’d returned quickly with things for Zatanna and now all the girls were in M’gann’s room together.

Connor was with wolf in the other room. He was watching the static on the TV and for once Robin felt like joining him. But he also wanted to be with Zatanna, to comfort her. She hadn’t lost her parents in the same way as him. She’d never known her mother. Her father was still alive. She was lucky that way. Or maybe he was the lucky one, at least knowing his parents were gone for good but not having the pain of seeing them and not getting any recognition from them.

It was when Batman reappeared with Black Canary, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado that he moved from next to Connor. “Batman?”

“Zatanna will live in the Cave.”

“Our—”

“In Mt. Justice. There is room here and she’ll be able to Zeta to school. She’ll be with friends and have people to look out for her. It’s the best place for her right now. Other’s wouldn’t be able to understand what she’s going through.”

“But we do!”

“That’s enough Robin. We’ll be going home for a few hours while Black Canary talks to Zatanna. Then we’ll help her move her stuff and go through Zatara’s things, to take care of the things he asked me to.”

Robin sighed hearing the pain in his father’s voice knowing he was hurting as well. He gave a nod of goodbye to Connor and scratched Wolf one last time. Then he followed his father back through the tube.

____________________________

 

“Master Tim! Miss Cass!” Alfred yelled in relief embracing them as they appeared. Both children ran happily into Alfred’s arms giving him a tight hug. He allowed himself a moment before readapting to propriety. “Change. I’ve prepared dinner, or I suppose as it is reaching morning hours it is now breakfast.”

“Is Dad back?” Tim asked excitedly as he sat down at the table. Alfred brought the food forward and started to serve the kids.

 Jason took a seat next to Cass. “Dad said he and Dick need to stay where they are right now. Something happened.”

All the children turned to look at Alfred who sighed. “It is the nature of the job your father and the other heroes have taken on themselves. You are children and don’t understand the consequences as well. I’m sure Miss Zatanna didn’t when she put on the helmet. Her father bargained so Nabu would let her take it off. He will now be Dr. Fate but will not allowed to be his daughter’s father, just so she could live her life.’

Alfred rubbed his face wearily and took a deep breath. “Master Bruce is trying to make sure she is taken care of and your brother is there to support his friend. Both of them will return tomorrow. For now you will all eat and go to your beds. You did a good job tonight, making sure all the children of Gotham were safe, and I’m sure you must all be very tired.”

There was no complaint as Alfred’s gaze rested upon each child. He was a little less guarded than usual, showing his affection with a pat of Jason’s shoulder and a kiss on Cass’s hair. He wiped some food off Tim’s face with a sad smile as he returned to the kitchen. At least his children were safe now.

 

____________________________________

 

The children slept late on Saturday. None of them saw their father and brother return at nine the next morning. Alfred had been given a large hug by Dick, fed him and Bruce (though both were picking at their food) then sent them off to bed. Dick obeyed, going straight away. He laid in bed thinking for a few hours, unsure how he felt about everything that had just happened. It was around two hours later that sleep finally came over him.

Meanwhile, Bruce had refused to go upstairs. He’d sat down in his office chair and sighed. Unlocking a secret drawer in his desk he took out papers to look at. There were copies framed around the office, but these were the original. The adoption certificates of Jason, Tim and Cass. There was still none for Dick. Nights like these made him think of asking the boy again. He considered him his son, all he needed to do was make it official.

Even further in another drawer were journals of his journey and training. He found pictures of him and Zatara. Baby Zatanna was held in his arms in one as Zatara and his wife laughed at the startled billionaires face. Another child without any parents. Sometimes he thought it was worse when the parents were alive, yet unable or unwilling to care for the children. At least he’d known his parents loved him. Not all of his kids had been so lucky previously. Now that had been changed.

Alfred walked in with a stern look on his face after an hour. “Master Bruce. You really should get some rest.”

“I just needed time to think.”

Alfred looked at the picture that Bruce was holding. His mouth thinned and he pursed his lips after another moment. “I presume that something happened to Mr. Zatara then.”

“He isn’t dead.”

“But—”

“He’s now the host of the helmet of fate. I was so concerned about Dick wearing it. Won’t have to worry about that anymore. Yet it doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“He put it on?”

“Zatanna did. He made a deal with Fate so she’d be let go.”

“As any decent parent would.”

Bruce sighed. “Now Zatanna will be living in the mountain. We will be helping move her later today.”

“Which means you’d better get some rest. The children will want to see you before you leave as well. They deserve an explanation.”

“And they’ll get it,” Bruce said while he pushed himself up. He put away the pictures and files looking at each for a moment as he did. He walked forward then paused. “Alfred?”

“Yes, Master Bruce?”

“I don’t say this enough, but thank you. For me, for everything with the kids.”

Alfred blinked a few times then gave a small smile. “Get some rest Master Bruce.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I’ve been looking forward to writing Misplaced for a while so I hope I did well. The reunions however, were much harder than I’d expected.


End file.
